The Bubbly and the Surly
by kenji1104
Summary: Annette Fantine Dominic is the promising rookie employee of her workplace, everything was going smoothly for her until one fateful encounter changed the course of her life. Set in an alternative modern world of Fodlan, more ships and characters to come!
1. Chapter 1

**Okay, first off this wouldn't be a oneshot.**

**Second, this story will not be my primary focus as The Last Scion of House Ordelia is STILL my focus.**

**Third, this story will be unlike most of my stories in the Three Houses fanbase that has a lot of angst injected in, this will generally be a lighthearted story.**

**Lastly, I love FelAnnie, this is like my second favorite ship in Three Houses after Bysithea so of course I HAVE TO WRITE something about them as well!**

* * *

Fodlan, the land rife with strife and betrayal, a land with a bloody history since the beginning of time. Home to the many people that have stood the test of time, tyranny and corruption… it seems like a setting for a dark story set in a fantasy world which it is… actually…

Annette has read the book countless times, it was a best-seller and is still the most popular novel being sold in bookstores, a retelling of the land of Fodlan and its people if there are such things as magic, Crests and demonic beasts, what made it even more popular are the branching storylines it had, the first of its kind before other stories followed.

But that's enough about that book she loves, she had more pressing matters to worry about as she was about to be late for work!

"Oh gosh! Oh gosh!" Annette panicked as she sped out of the subway train after its sliding doors opened, being the first one to come out and bumping into a stranger along the way.

"Hey! Watch it!"

"I'M SORRY!" Annette apologized as she climbed up the stairs, clinging onto her shoulder bag to secure it and its precious contents.

Annette Fantine Dominic, 22 turning 23 soon in the month of the Harpstring Moon, a fresh graduate from the prestigious Garreg Mach University situated in the city of Garreg Mach, the central city of Fodlan where various cultures mixes. She found employment almost immediately in a company as an analyst after graduating, being recommended by Professor Hanneman immediately due to her dedication and hardwork.

"Why did I forget to set up my alarm today of all days?!" Annette murmured to herself, continuing to run towards the huge skyscraper in the city of Garreg Mach, the Fraldarius Corporation's main headquarters, a technological conglomerate that is responsible for the various technology of convenience that the people of Fodlan enjoys ranging from phones to computers and etc.

It was also Annette's workplace, having been employed in the company for almost four months after she graduated along with her roommate, Lysithea.

Annette couldn't blame anyone but herself for her current predicament, because last night, she went to a concert with her childhood friend: Mercedes, it was the concert of the hottest band in Fodlan right now, the Hey Arnaults led by Dorothea Arnault, the current number one singer in the trending charts in Fodlan. She along with Mercedes just couldn't miss the chance to see her idol perform live on stage for the first time.

Now, she's reaping what she has sown as she forgot to set her alarm with all the excitement and exhaustion she felt last night, waking up with barely an hour before her work schedule. What makes her situation worse than it is, is because of the huge presentation she's scheduled to show to the CEO and board of the company, a presentation that she thoroughly finished before the concert day yet it is at risk for her being late.

Entering the corporate building, she was greeted by the guard who inspects and greets anyone who comes in to the building.

"Greetings, Ms. Dominic-"

Annette ignored the guard after flashing her employee ID, opting to rush towards the closing steel doors of the elevator she immediately caught sight on after entering.

"Please hold it!" Annette shouted out at the sole inhabitant of the closing elevator, wishing the person heard her and had the heart to prevent the doors from closing.

Her wish was immediately granted as the elevator doors opened, she breathed out a sigh of relief as she entered the elevator, breathing out a raspy thank you to the man who was considerate enough to hold the door for her.

Feeling the warm sweat rushing down her silky skin, Annette took out a sky blue colored handkerchief from her bag, wiping off any evident sweat from her face and neck to make herself look even more presentable for later as the elevator rose from floor to floor. She also winced in slight pain after feeling the strain on her feet, a consequence for running with her heels on.

Annette then took out her phone, made by the same company she works in, to check the time and smiled triumphantly as she realized she still have five more minutes before the scheduled presentation, that was enough time for her to freshen up and be even more ready.

"Okay Annie, you got this." Annette motivated herself, cheering herself up for the big moment. This wasn't her first presentation after being employed into the company but this has to be her biggest one yet as a representative of the partner company of Fraldarius Corp., Gautier Tech, is present as well.

Annette anxiously waited as the digital display of the elevator shows the floors they are passing by, she wished no one pressed a button to one of the flavors preceding the one she was going to, to prevent any precious second being wasted.

Her wish was once again granted but there was something much worse that awaited Annette's fate in that moment., the price to pay for two wishes being granted.

The elevator abruptly stopped, Annette keeled over to the control panel of the elevator while the man with her was lucky enough to lean his back on the elevator's metallic walls as the lights of the elevator turned off, encasing them in complete darkness.

Annette managed to recover, touching her hip that hit the wall hard.

"Oww…" She moaned in pain before the man with her in the elevator turned on the flashlight of his phone and flashed it at her.

"You alright?" Said a cool and collected voice as he continued flashing the light towards Annette, the girl blinked repeatedly due to the brightness of the light which the man immediately shifted down his phone.

"Sorry." He apologized before offering her a hand to stand up, Annette still couldn't see through the darkness who her mysterious aider for two times now, looks like.

Annette shook her head as her only source of light pointed down at the elevator floor.

"It's alright and thank you."

Despite having no visibility, she could feel that the man nodded at her thanks.

"Looks like power went off." The voice pointed out the obvious. "What a bother." He sighed irritably.

But Annette had a more pressing matter to worry about, she was beginning to panic.

"Oh no… this can't be happening… this can't be happening…" She repeated, getting more and more frantic.

"Calm down, they'll turn on the backup generators soon." The voice tried to assure her but Annette wasn't having any of it.

"Easy for you to say!" She snapped at the man. "I have an important presentation for Mr. Fraldarius and the representative of Gautier Tech! Oh, if only I didn't forget to set my alarm after all that excitement from watching the Hey Arnaults live!- I could lose my job!"

The voice sighed in exasperation at the panicked girl.

"Look, even if you did get on that meeting in time, you won't be able to present anything due to the power running out-" The voice paused for a while before shrugging in the darkness. "You know what? Panic all you want, I'll just listen in to my music rather than listen to you prattle incessantly."

With the limited lighting, Annette could see the man took out his earphones from his pants' pockets before attaching them to his phone, he promptly turned off the flashlight of his phone before pressing on the remote controls in his earphones to play something to block out any noise.

Annette sighed, trying to calm herself down from her dilemma, she considered the man's words to her, weighing down the logic before composing herself.

"Alright Annie, calm down… just remember what to do when you're in a dilemma." She murmured to herself, eyeing the man behind her who she could see scrolling down at his phone's screen with his thumb, still listening to his own music while ignoring her.

The bubbly girl decided to perform her own confidence boosting ritual she came up with, singing any song that comes to mind to channel out any negative emotion and in some way, reassure herself everything would be fine.

Annette took a deep breath before beginning a soft hum.

"Today's dinner is steak and then a cake that's yummy yum... Now it's time to fill my tummy tummy tum…" Annette sang with her left hand on her chest.

"Oh, this mountain of sweets, and treats that I long to eats…" She continued singing the bizarre lyrics she came up with by herself. "Oh, stacks of steaks and cakes and crumbs and yums…!"

Annette released a satisfied sigh, her ritual worked, she felt more at ease now compared to earlier, she gained her confidence back like she always does and she could feel like she could take on anything that comes her way.

"You know…" Annette froze as the man behind her suddenly spoke. "You have a nice voice but your lyrics are… for lack of a better term, weird."

Like ice, Annette felt like she was shattered by a strong blow after realizing that the man she was stuck with in the total darkness of the elevator heard everything she just sang.

"B-But I-I thought you were l-listeni-"

"My earphones were busted." The man responded as if knowing what the girl was trying to say.

"Still though, nice voice." The man complimented, unaware of the various levels of red color that was rising up in Annette's face. "Not as beautiful as the Hey Arnaults but still quite soothing… the lyrics… I cannot actually say… I like steaks but I can't say the same for those cakes you mentioned, stacks of them apparently."

Annette stared at the darkness at where the man is supposedly at, her mouth agape with shock as waves upon waves of emotions washed over here, the feeling of humiliation being the chief one.

"Are you alright?"

"YOU'RE EVIL!"

Just as she shouted at the man, the lights in the elevator turned on and the elevator began to function as it was, Annette finally saw who the mystery man was as the light shined on him.

He had navy blue hair tied upwards into a short ponytail, his sharp-shaped copper colored eyes stared at her wide blue eyes and lastly, there were notable crease lines on the area between his eye sockets and nose. He looked very similar to someone she knew, yet different at the same time.

The man raised an eyebrow at the sudden label being thrown at him.

"And you're shouting."

"You think you're so funny? Eavesdropping on someone singing? Mocking my singing?!" Annette ranted out as she lost all semblance of control to the feeling of embarrassment that is now overwhelming every aspect of her body.

"I wasn't eavesdropping… you just started singing in an enclosed area with someone else and you expect he wouldn't hear it? You have quite the logic there."

Just before anything else is said and done, the elevator's digital bell rung to signal Annette that she has reached her floor.

"YOU ARE THE WORST!" Annette shouted out at him before taking her leave, nearly stumbling due to her heels as she exited the elevator, leaving her companion in the elevator all by his lonesome.

"Huh. What was that about?"

* * *

Annette desperately tried to erase the recent embarrassing memory in her mind as she went to the conference room where she would hold her presentation with the most important people in the company, she couldn't afford such a setback to constantly bother her.

She needed to succeed in this presentation in order to boost her performance in the company and she didn't want to disappoint Mr. Fraldarius.

"Oh Annette! Come in!" Rodrigue Achille Fraldarius, CEO and majority shareholder of Fraldarius Corp. greeted her with a smile.

Annette gave him a nod before coming near the projector screen that was prepared at the center just a distance away from the long table that seated the most important people in the company as well as the representative sent by Gautier Tech.

"Were you alright? The power went out for a bit earlier." Rodrigue asked Annette out of concern which the latter smiled at him.

"I'm quite alright Mr. Fraldarius, I was just worried earlier that I might be late due to getting stuck in the elevator." Annette reassured the older man.

Rodrigue smiled at the girl once more. "We will begin shortly, come and get the presentation ready."

Annette did what her boss told her to do so with an enthusiastic smile, retaining her usual enthusiasm that Rodrigue appreciated as she felt relieved that her worries of being late earlier were for naught.

As Annette prepared, she didn't notice the conference room acquired another inhabitant that Rodrigue welcomed in, the latest entry sat down at the farthest chair in the long table just beside Rodrigue's seat as Annette turned around to face the CEO, the board of directors and the Gautier Tech representative with her cheerful and enthusiastic smile.

Only for her trademark smile to falter when she realized that the man from the elevator earlier was inside the room and eyeing her with those copper eyes of his.

"Annette? Are you alright?"

Annette snapped out of her stupor when Rodrigue worriedly called out for her.

"O-Oh! I-I'm sorry about t-that!" She stuttered an apology as she finally began her presentation.

* * *

To say that she delivered the presentation well in front of the most important people in the company was an overstatement, she kept stuttering as she presented her well-researched and thought out data towards the people by the long table, she kept stealing glances at the man she was with in the elevator who silently watched her with a solemn expression.

"I will relay what I learned to Mr. Gautier, Mr. Fraldarius. I am confident he would find such a project to be satisfactory." The representative of Gautier Tech affirmed his words with a handshake with Rodrigue before being the last one to leave the room before Annette and Rodrigue.

"Annette."

Annette squeaked out in surprise at Rodrigue's call, she immediately turned around to face her boss before bowing down repeatedly.

"I-I'm sorry Mr. Fraldarius!" She immediately apologized.

Rodrigue raised an eyebrow before smiling at the bowing girl.

"Annette, it's quite alright. You don't have to apologize-"

"I p-panicked when I shouldn't have! I could have delivered that far better than I should have yet I-I- ooooh I ruined it didn't I?" Annette frantically explained as Rodrigue looked on in concern.

"Annette!" Rodrigue exclaimed, exerting his voice of authority before placing a hand on Annette's shoulder to reassure her better.

"I told you it is alright, the representative found it to his liking and I have you and your analysis to thank for that. Now, no more of your perceived failure… alright?"

Annette looked up to see the CEO of Fraldarius Corp. smiling warmly at her, assuring her and calming her nerves down as Rodrigue withdrew his hand from her shoulder.

"It is unusual though…" A man resembling Rodrigue but on a younger scale said as he approached the two, the resemblance of the man to Rodrigue was uncanny besides the slightly shorter wavy hair and the lack of facial hair that graced the area beside Rodrigue's mouth.

"You aren't the type to lose your composure considering how you have been nothing but stellar in your presentations in the past." The man bearing most of Rodrigue's image continued.

Annette bowed down in apology.

"Mr. Fraldarius, I-"

"Glenn. I told you to call me by my name in my father's presence, it gets confusing when you refer to us both as Mr. Fraldarius." Glenn reminded her.

"S-Sorry ummm… G-Glenn." She stuttered, feeling that calling her boss' son and the president of the company so casually, inappropriate.

Glenn Fraldarius slightly smiled at her.

"Again, as the old man said." Rodrigue gave his son a look on how he referred to him but Glenn ignored him.

"You did well regardless. Pat yourself on the back from time to time." Glenn finished which had the intended effect of cheering up the promising rookie employee.

Annette found her trademark smile returning, much to Rodrigue and Glenn's relief, both were concerned for Annette's unusual behavior more than the presentation itself when she began, seeing the smile that she is known for by others returning was a welcome sight.

Rodrigue then clapped his arms together. "Now that's out of the way, I want to introduce you to someone."

Annette raised her eyebrows in question but before she can ask, Glenn moved to his side to reveal the man in the elevator earlier, standing behind him and Rodrigue all this time.

"Annette, I would like you to meet my second son, Felix Hugo Fraldarius." Rodrigue presented Felix, Annette's eyes widened more and more than it could ever do as the revelation dawned on her.

Glenn smirked at his little brother and ruffled his ponytailed hair with his left hand.

"He's a bit rough, cold and callous but he's a good boy." Glenn remarked as he continued ruffling his brother's hair before Felix shoved his hand away in annoyance.

"Once you get to know him, he's just like a kitten who'll stick by you."

Contrary to how Glenn described him, Felix snarled irritably at his older brother for how he treated him in front of Annette, reminding the girl of a hissing cat upon witnessing the exchange.

Rodrigue sighed at his two sons before facing Annette.

"He'll be your supervisor starting today and as such, will report to him. I do hope you two will get along as you do with most." Rodrigue said with confidence after witnessing how the rookie was a team player as well as the office sweetheart of the department she's part of.

Annette felt like her world started to crash down. Did she hear right? Did Rodrigue just say that this man, Felix, would be her direct superior?

"Do get along with him, will you Annette? He'll start purring at you in no time." Glenn teased as Felix shoved Glenn away from him.

Rodrigue took a deep breath once again. "I'll leave you two to get acquainted. Glenn, I want to talk to you about-"

Glenn and Rodrigue's exchange faded as they left the conference room together to leave Felix and Annette alone in the room together, mirroring nearly the same situation they had in the elevator earlier.

Felix watched as his father and brother left his sight, Annette could only stare at Felix with wide eyes and her mouth hanging open as the horrible new reality slowly dawned on her.

Annette tensed as Felix finally shifted his gaze to her, seeing her stupefied face replaced the irritated scowl he previously had with that of a smug smirk almost immediately.

"Now… who were you calling evil back in the elevator… Ms. Dominic?"

Annette wanted to scream in that moment.

* * *

**And with that, this story is my personal palate cleanser for the angst-filled stories I write from time to time. I need my fix of fluff (why does that sound like a drug?) too and reading other stories isn't enough to rid me of my self-inflicted pain in writing stories like Forlorn Feelings!**

**I do hope you guys enjoy this light-hearted story!**

**Now for the credits:**

**Huge thanks again to Lazy Raichu and Ruri for helping me out with my ideas!**

**Huge thanks to the people of the FelAnnie discord for also giving me ideas and their thoughts when I present concepts and stuff in the channel!**

**Thanks to Reem for allowing me to borrow her stuck in an elevator modern AU prompt that she shared in the server, without her, this story wouldn't have been conceived!**

**Thanks to Si67 for suggesting the title of this story!**

**Thanks to Bia for helping out with helping me figure out how Glenn would look like!**

**And finally, huge thanks to Kroissant for being my inspiration in writing this fluff story about FelAnnie and for her contribution to the pairing!**

**Love you guys! Stay cool!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Supervisor from Hell**

* * *

**Sorry for the delay on the next chapter of Bubbly and the Surly!**

**I did mention that this story isn't my primary focus since I am focused on updating The Last Scion more than anything else but I realized I have made some of you guys wait for too long.**

* * *

"Aghh…" Annette growled as she buried her face in her arms on the table she shared with her childhood friend and big sister figure, Mercedes von Martritz, who watched Annette with a concerned look upon her gentle azure eyes.

Mercedes was surprised that Annette managed to visit her at her workplace, Ordelia Pastries, during their lunch break. It was just luck that both managed to contact one another to tell the other one is available.

Ordelia Pastries, the family business of Annette's former roommate back in her time as a university student. Lysithea has always prided herself as the one to take over the business soon especially with her acute expertise on cake and other sweet delicacies. Its booming success led to many branches all over Fodlan with the main branch being in Derdriu, this one in Garreg Mach was the latest branch.

"Annie… you haven't touched your tea and order yet." Mercedes called out, glancing at the untouched cup of tea that has long cooled off its scalding temperature as well as the fragrant sweet aroma of the shortcake Annette ordered that Mercedes personally made. Still untouched.

Annette merely murmured something that Mercedes couldn't hear.

"This isn't like you Annie. Normally, you're so upbeat whenever you have the chance to visit but now..."

"It's the opposite?" Annette finished what Mercedes was thinking of saying, lifting her head up a little to reveal a stressed out and tired face, there were barely any trace of the sweet bubbly girl that Mercedes knows.

Mercedes nodded, her hand on the apron she wears in the kitchen, its white fabric is barely defiled by the grimy forces inherent in kitchens.

"It's my boss…" Annette sighed in exasperation.

"Mr. Fraldarius?"

"No. Not him."

"The other Mr. Fraldarius?"

"No!" Annette felt like having a headache, she now at least knows what Glenn feels when she calls him that way in the presence of Rodrigue, the original Mr. Fraldarius.

"Oh my, I must have gotten confused last time because you told me those two were your direct superiors." Mercedes pondered, a finger on her chin as she looked up at the ceiling of the cafe area of her workplace.

Annette sighed once again at the thought of Felix and these past few days.

"It's Mr. Fraldarius' other son: Felix. He's my supervisor now."

Mercedes raised her eyebrows. "I thought from what you told me, Mr. Fraldarius only had one son since you started working under them."

Annette nodded, "I thought so too until Felix came in a few days ago… apparently he was in a long vacation with his friends for quite some time in Hoshido."

Both friends have heard of that country since their childhood, Hoshido was said to be such a place for relaxation and rich with its culture and tradition, hell they even planned on going there in the future if saved up enough for a vacation.

But first, their work beckons and for Annette, she hasn't been this stressed out ever since she did her thesis with Lysithea's help during her college days.

"So… what about this Felix? Is he treating you badly?" Mercedes' motherly gaze hardened for a bit at the thought of her best friend being mistreated but Annette quickly dismissed such a thought by waving her hands forward.

The orange haired girl again shook her head.

"No… Mr. Fralda- I mean Felix hasn't been mistreating me but…" She blushed in embarrassment whenever she remembered that moment she shared with Felix at the elevator, how she called him such things only for her to realize in her absolute horror that she shouted at her supervisor at the heat of the moment.

Worse than shouting at him, she actually called him evil despite Felix' casual comment. There was no mockery in his tone when he did say her voice was good… was it?

Annette grumbled again as her thoughts clashed again, Mercedes looked on in concern.

Mercedes wished she could do something for her friend but she knew they both have to put such things aside when she looked at the clock to see their lunch break was nearing its end.

"Annie, I think we should go back now."

Annette looked up at Mercedes with tired eyes. Normally, Annette would panic at the time but she was too tired to even do so. Annette sighed before looking at her untouched cake.

"Don't worry, I can bring that over to you at your apartment later." Mercedes gave her a smile, assuring her that her order wouldn't go to waste.

The normally bubbly girl smiled for the first time in the day albeit a tired one.

"Thank you Mercie." She expressed her thanks to her best friend as she stood up and gulped down on her room temperature tea, Mercedes giggled at seeing some semblance of her friend back as she too stood up and took the plate of shortcake to take home later for Annette.

As she was about to leave, Annette remembered to ask Mercedes something.

"Have you seen Lysithea recently?" She inquired about her friend and former roommate that she owed so much to.

Mercedes shook her head. "She hasn't been visiting this branch lately, I heard she's making rounds around Fodlan, researching and checking out the branches. Based on her Fehbook and Nagagram, she's in Enbarr right now."

Annette chuckled. "That's her alright, always so hard at work." Annette said, not realizing she too is like that, two peas in a pod as the saying goes.

With that, the two friends said their farewells. If anything, Annette felt slightly better on her short visit to Mercedes. Yet she forgot something as well…

* * *

"Good afternoon, Annette. Have you bought the cream puffs I asked for?"

Annette could hear herself screaming within as she finally remembered what she forgot, she was too busy drowning herself in whatever she was feeling earlier that she forgot the box of sweets that Glenn asked her to get.

Seeing the shocked expression in Annette's face answered Glenn's inquiry almost immediately.

"You forgot." He said deadpanned.

Annette meekly nodded, hanging her down low as Glenn sighed.

"Annette… I'm not going to scold you but I did notice you have been… out of it recently." Glenn began as his eyes took on a more concerned look, he was normally imposing to the other employees, stern to those who slack off and always exuding a cold and professional aura but on people who he is impressed or fond of, he was warm and always looks out for the well-being of his employees, Annette was no exception to such a thing.

The usually bubbly girl merely hung her head low, hugging the clipboard and documents on her chest as Glenn expressed his concerns. Annette has barely resumed her work in the afternoon, nearly being late and now she forgot a favor that her other boss asked of her.

"Are you alright? Is anything bothering you?" Glenn asked her, Annette couldn't answer straight to him, knowing that the reason for her listlessness recently was due to her anxiety of working under Glenn's younger brother.

An anxiety of her own doing to be exact.

Glenn waited patiently for Annette to give him an answer, he wasn't the only one who has expressed such a concern as Rodrigue also noticed her change the past few days, something that Glenn initially waived off as being tired due to the impending preparations for the Fodlan Tech Expo where Annette is expected to help make a presentation.

"Mr. Fraldarius… it's… I'm sorry…" Annette blurted out weakly, she decided to steel herself to honestly tell Glenn of what has been bothering her, maybe by telling him she would actually feel better or get some advice from him.

Just as Glenn was about to hear an answer…

"Miss Dominic."

Annette squeaked out in surprise at the mention of her family name when Felix called out for her, walking in on their conversation in the hallway leading to the offices.

"I have been looking for you, here I thought you forgot that lunch break is already over… again." Felix mentioned as Annette's expression faltered at the mention of her being late the other day when she took her break too long in the cafe she frequented in nearby probably due to her anxiety to deal with her new supervisor.

Felix frowned after seeing Glenn's questioning gaze towards him as if asking a silent question of what did he do to make one of the most active employees of the company become such an anxious mess.

"I'm sorry." Annette bowed apologetically to Glenn before walking past Felix to head to his office, leaving the two Fraldarius brothers alone.

"What?" Felix asked with a scowl after Annette was out of earshot from the questioning he is about to receive from Glenn.

Glenn matched him with his own frown but adapted a more gentler one akin to Rodrigue's.

"What did you do to her, Felix? She's been a mess ever since you became her supervisor." Glenn questioned his younger brother.

Felix merely scoffed at his older brother before taking his leave to go to his office much to Glenn's chagrin. Glenn knew his younger brother, he didn't inherit their father's gentle nature and in fact took a more cold personality even more so than Glenn shows to anyone he doesn't like, he is even ruder than he remembered and Glenn hoped Felix' overbearing personality wouldn't be the cause of Annette's recent change.

Sighing, Glenn had other matters to attend to… The Fodlan Tech Expo being the one of most importance.

Felix made his way to his office where Annette is probably nervous as always, he never really found a reason why she's so… anxious around him as if his very presence was poison to her.

Contrary to how Glenn, Rodrigue and other employees endorsed her as the bubbliest woman in the office, he hasn't seen a single shred of evidence on such a claim.

His office door on sight, Felix was about to reach for the handle when his phone rang within the pockets of his coat. Grumbling, he pulled the vibrating phone out and saw the identity of his caller.

**The Boar is calling you...**

Growling, Felix roughly pressed the touch screen to answer the call.

"What do you want?" He asked irritably.

_ "Sorry for calling you during work hours. I'm just calling to confirm if we're still going ahead for the usual routine on the weekend?" _

Felix sighed in exasperation. "You should know by now that I always go. Ask that question to Sylvain if he isn't busy trying to flirt with another girl on a random club or bar that night."

The voice behind the line chuckled.

_ "You're right. Anyway, how is your work there? Doing fine working with your father and brother I hope?" _

Felix took another sigh. "Look Dimitri, we'll talk about it when we meet. I don't have the time or patience to answer those on the phone." He sharply responded.

Instead of being taken aback by Felix' rather sharp-tongued answer, Dimitri merely chuckled from behind the line, a genuine chuckle.

_ "Of course… of course… Well then, see you soon." _

Felix merely ended the call instead of returning the same courtesy of farewell with an odd smile.

* * *

Annette was trying her best to focus on her work, she has been looking into the materials she was given in order to plan the huge presentation in the coming expo in the next few months. Having most of it delegated to her due to her excellent performance as a presenter ever since being employed into the company, Rodrigue and Glenn were counting on her, having complete faith.

Faith isn't enough to push her right now as Felix entered the office and went straight to his table, clicking on the wireless of his computer and checking on some mails from people in other departments or from outside the company.

Annette inwardly frowned, wondering why her superior mentioned he had been looking for her earlier, she would rather work in her office space she shared with many others, her own cubicle and her slice of personal haven away from the man who makes her anxious.

"Is there something you want to say to me, Miss Dominic?" Felix suddenly asked with his eyes glued to his computer monitor, Annette didn't notice she has been staring at him and Felix noticed her gaze by what is probably from the corners of his eyes.

There's that way of him calling her. There's something in the way that Felix calls her… Miss Dominic that bothers her so greatly as if he was masking something within his voice as he calls her that. It bothers her especially when she thinks that Glenn and Rodrigue calls her by her first name.

Miss Dominic… its true she should be called in such a way in a professional world but coming from someone like Felix who she had a history with in the elevator no matter how short it was and the subsequent reveal that the man she just shouted at and called evil was none other than her bosses' son and brother was all too-

"Well?"

Annette snapped out of her own thoughts and looked back at Felix who was giving her an impatient frown.

Gulping the nonexistent lump in her throat, Annette tried to compose herself before sharing rare direct words to her supervisor. Normally, Felix would only curtly order her around and give instructions the past few days.

"I don't want to sound rude but… umm… is there a reason why you called me into your office?" Annette asked with uncertainty on how her boss would take it.

Felix raised an eyebrow at the question before resuming his frown.

"Are you getting tired of my presence, Miss Dominic?" He asked her before closing the window of the Emblemail website in his computer.

There's that accursed way of him calling her Miss Dominic again. Not knowing its just her general anxiety that makes her feel as such.

"N-No! I don't mean it like that!" Annette found herself raising her voice again before she promptly covered her mouth upon realizing what she just did.

Felix deeply sighed, looking down on his finely varnished table as if contemplating on something. In that brief moment, Annette could see his eyebrows furrow and his expression contort to something that reminds her of hesitance.

With a final sigh done after making a hard decision, Felix stood up from his comfortable office chair and approached Annette who by now has stood up to meet her supervisor's towering height and gaze at her.

"Answer me." Felix began as he took another stride towards Annette, getting too close to her for comfort, Annette found herself retreating from him yet he followed her.

"M-Mister Fraldarius?" She stuttered out as she tried to process what the heck her boss is trying to do with her.

Annette realized she found no place to retreat as she hit the cold hard walls of Felix' office, Felix then placed his hands on the wall near both sides of her head, cornering her.

"Are you seeing someone?" He asked with her a cold stare.

Annette found herself blushing at the sudden personal question, "H-Huh?!" Annette exclaimed out in shock and with beet red cheeks.

So many things were racing across her mind by now but most prevalent of all was… fear.

She's seen this sort of thing in so many movies and read about it in books, she didn't know such a thing could be possible for her to experience yet…

Those cold copper eyes of his kept staring at her blue ones with a hint of something…

"Come with me for dinner tonight." He coarsely invited her as Annette's breathing became more and more laboured as her anxiety around Felix grew.

He was harassing her, she knew this to be the case and while she initially hesitated to respond in order to not aggravate the situation further, Felix said something that truly set her off.

"Come with me or else..." Felix told her imperatively

Felix was about to say something else to assuage Annette after he looked like he made a mistake on what he just said after seeing Annette's blue eyes widen and moisten with tears before her eyebrows furrowed into an angry frown.

"I-"

Felix didn't get to finish when Annette slapped him with so much force that his head shifted to the side and her palm made a red mark on the side of his face.

Annette was breathing heavily, realizing what she just did out of instinct yet regretting none of it.

In between her breaths she shouted at her boss.

"YOU ARE THE WORST!" She yelled at him with so much emotion that Felix was taken aback both from her words and from her push as she ran away from his office, leaving a trail of hot fresh tears.

She slammed the door shut behind her, leaving Felix alone in his cold office.

Realizing the full extent of the damage he had caused, Felix growled angrily at himself and how he handled the situation. He didn't get angry at how Annette reacted and the pain on his face but more on to himself and a certain somebody that he shouldn't have listened to in the first place.

"Goddess damn it, Sylvain!" He cursed out in frustration and at the man responsible for giving him advice in the first place.

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**Again, I apologize for the delay and shortness of this chapter. I never really intended to make long chapters for each updates on this story anyway but I felt like its length wasn't enough to satisfy the long wait for it.**

**Now, back to Last Scion!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

**Old Friends…**

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**Ah, it's been so long since I last updated this story. Apologies for that, lots of things happened. I didn't mean to ignore this story for the whole of February but I had to prioritize on writing Last Scion's chapter as well as my birthday fic for Lysithea: Broken Hourglass.**

**Nonetheless, to make up for the delay. This chapter is longer than its supposed to be. Enjoy!**

**Also, I had a cover for this fic made a while ago! You can see it on this story but if you want to see the full art, check out mocheekanon in pixiv! She's the talented individual who made it for me!**

* * *

**7th day of the Harpstring Moon**

In Fodlan, nightlife is quite an important aspect of life among those in the age group of college students and those in the legal working age. Status and quality of life doesn't matter as long as they can afford the establishments they frequent, to unwind and hang out with friends and co-workers.

For the central city of Fodlan, Garreg Mach. Nightlife varies in many ways, many of the rich can afford to go to high-rise buildings and enter a club. Those somewhere in the middle can go to bars and clubs while the lower class can just pop a bottle or can they buy from a convenience store and drink somewhere secluded.

In all of Garreg Mach, there is one bar that is often called by its patrons as a hidden gem. Affordable prices, great drinks and a generally charming and entertaining bartender-owner unless he teases the hell out of you.

That bartender's name is Claude von Riegan, bartender, owner and proprietor of the bar known as the Golden Deer. A man of Almyran descent, Claude prides himself as the owner of the so-called hidden gem of Garreg Mach. Never full but still bringing in the money, less effort but still profitable. Just the kind of carefree life he wants.

As the antique jukebox played soothing jazz music around the bar, the only patron within the bar at this time wasn't showing any signs of being at ease with the selection of music.

"Get me another round of that Golden Beer." Felix growled as he pushed the empty glass beer mug on the marble counter.

Claude wondered what had gotten to Felix drinking ahead of his friends and why he was the first one to arrive when he usually arrives last. Not to mention the sullen expression he wore, it was more unpleasant than his usual frown and air of constant irritation.

"Felix, I don't mind the extra business but aren't you drinking way too fast?" Claude asked, taking the beer mug and placing it under the nozzle of his beer tap and pulling the small handle down to fill the mug with his signature beer.

The Fraldarius man just groaned, scratching the back of his head irritably before covering his face with his closed fist, digging the temples of his head into his knuckles.

"Lemme guess, did your father say something to piss you off again?" Claude guessed before faking a gesture that of realization. "Oh wait, you're always pissed."

Claude's tease was ignored, Felix didn't even glare at him, the latter thinking it wasn't worth it as he has more problems to worry about. Claude heaved a sigh, shaking his head and served Felix another mug of beer that the latter immediately took a sip from, feeling the cold alcohol washed down his throat.

"Seriously, what's wrong?" Claude asked, his morbid curiosity turning to that of genuine concern towards one of his regulars.

Felix ignored the bartender again, his thoughts delving deeper into what happened days ago.

He remembered cornering Annette into a wall, trapping her in between his arms. She looked so terrified at him at that moment and Felix wondered why the advice given to him by a certain someone didn't work, when he saw tears threatening to fall from her blue eyes, that was when Felix knew… he took advice from a fool and he was a bigger fool for following his advice.

The succeeding days after that disaster of a day only got worse as Annette didn't even bother to go to work prompting Glenn to call her. A call that ended unsatisfactorily as Annette gave a lame excuse that sounded like a complete lie in Glenn's words. While Felix could care less about his brother's frustration at getting a straight answer from Annette, Felix was more angry at himself for being the cause of Annette's sudden absence that day for he knew it was all his fault.

The day after that was even worse, Annette did show up for work but she didn't do what her job mandated and that is to be Felix' assistant and to also build up the presentation needed for the expo. Instead, Annette insisted towards Glenn that she could work better in her old office cubicle, making up an excuse that she could concentrate there better. Another lie that Glenn picked up but didn't confront her about as he could finally see the pattern.

If there was something Felix both admired and cursed Glenn at, it was Glenn's keen observation of human behavior. He could easily tell Annette was lying and making up excuses, he had become suspicious of Annette's change of demeanor ever since she was delegated to become his younger brother's assistant.

That and coupled with the fact on how she looks at Felix, averts her eyes away from him and always tries to find an excuse to leave his presence, Glenn finally hypothesized that his younger brother has something to do with the low morale of the bubbliest girl in the office.

Glenn confronted him at their home that day, demanding answers from Felix. Felix told him to leave him alone and not to meddle but Glenn wasn't having any of it, he was tired of Felix dismissive way when confronted with a problem and he made it clear by punching Felix across the face.

Felix immediately retaliated which led to a loud altercation. Fists were thrown, shouting and cursing were directed towards each other until Rodrigue came in between them. Scolding both of them for acting so immaturely instead of settling things as proper men. Felix simply scoffed and told both Glenn and Rodrigue to go to hell before he locked himself in his room.

Claude watched one of his regulars in deep thought, looking on with interest in seeing the plethora of anger and self-loathing Felix has been displaying from the very subtle facial expressions and his body language. Claude knew something was up with him.

The door opened, ringing the bell that was attached to the door to reveal two blondes: a man and a woman.

The man had loose unkempt hair, blue eyes that had the color of the blue sky and he wore an expensive looking black business suit and a blue shirt underneath.

The woman had short hair, green eyes like those of emerald and wore a checkered sky blue and green shirt, white pants and long brown leather boots, there was a hat behind her, held together by a string around her neck.

"Oh, Felix. You're here early." Dimitri said out in mild surprise at how early the Fraldarius man is at the bar.

"And he didn't wait for us to drink." Ingrid frowned in disapproval, seeing Felix take a sip of his beer, ignoring her.

Claude gave them a look, earning questioning brows up from the newly arrivals, Claude gestured his eyes towards Felix as the two sat down beside Felix on the next two stools to his right. They both knew from Claude's gesture that something is bothering their friend who didn't acknowledge them, still wallowing in his own pit of the plethora of negative emotions he was feeling.

"So, what can I help you with?" Claude asked, approaching the two from behind the counter, placing both hands on the marble top after handing out his usual drinking menu and a small food menu.

Dimitri and Ingrid both knew what to order, having no need for the menu, they have been drinking in this bar for quite some time now ever since they were legally allowed to touch alcohol.

"The usual Claude." Dimitri said, taking off his suit's coat and hung it on the backrest of the stool.

Ingrid nodded in affirmation to Dimitri's order as well, indicating the desire of the same drink.

"Two Golden Beers coming up!" Claude took two glass mugs and went to his beer tap to fill them.

Ingrid, who sat beside Felix, gave her fiance's younger brother a look of concern.

"Felix?" Ingrid called out with a warm worried voice, her green eyes looking on to Felix' dull copper eyes staring at his half-filled mug. Felix hasn't looked so despondent ever since… since…

Dimitri also looked at Felix, worried about the more gloomy look Felix was wearing. He knew that despite his phone call to him days ago, Felix was looking forward to their weekend drinking get together. Dimitri initially believed Felix was early due to his concealed excitement to see them after returning from his vacation to Hoshido but to see him like this… it was unexpected.

"I have been worried about him myself but he hasn't said anything other than order another mug." Claude said, looking on to Felix as he passed by the sullen man and laid down the filled mugs of beer for Ingrid and Dimitri to drink.

Dimitri gave him a doubtful look. "You? Worried over someone else?"

Claude faked an offended expression. "That hurts!" He said, touching his chest as if struck by an arrow.

"I must say that you have gravely misunderstood my entire being, good sir!" Claude said with his smirk, Dimitri merely shook his head before taking a sip of his beer, letting the cold alcohol wash down his parched throat.

Ingrid was still worried and kept prodding Felix to no avail, normally Felix would immediately snap at her out of irritation but this time it felt like everyone around Felix didn't exist and she can't put her finger on it. He wasn't even drinking anymore, he just took a deep sigh.

The door opened once again, ringing the bell to give cause for the people inside the bar to look at the new arrival. Slicked back red hair, brown eyes, wore a pair of steel grey pants and a blue green long sleeve shirt with both sleeves rolled up above his elbows and the top two buttons of his shirt were unbuttoned.

It was the final member of their group, a quartet formerly a trio of friends in childhood until high school came to graced them the presence of their fourth and only female member. This man who just arrived is the oldest among them but certainly not the kind of person one looks up to as a role model and his name was...

"Sylvain." And just like that, Claude's jukebox located near the door abruptly stopped playing just as Felix called out his name.

Claude groaned, making one of his rare expressions that wasn't a smirk or a smug look. "I really need to get that jukebox fixed." The bartender shook his head as he polished one of his beer mugs clean.

"Woah, Felix is here before me? Talk about being punctual for a chan- Felix?"

Felix stood up from his stool, earning looks from the others as he slowly walked towards Sylvain, his bangs shadowing his copper brown eyes. Sylvain's casual smile faded little by little as Felix inched closer, his head tilting up to reveal the expression in his eyes.

Ingrid and Dimitri could feel the intent radiating from Felix, Claude could feel it as well but stood still from behind the counter. It was until Felix revealed his murderous gaze towards Sylvain that Ingrid and Dimitri both stood up from their stool and held back Felix. Both struggling to do so despite their superior number as Felix tried to push through.

"Felix! What are you doing?!" Dimitri called out, holding Felix at bay by his shoulders while Ingrid wrapped her arms around Felix from behind to pull him away from reaching any closer to Sylvain who looked shocked.

"Woah there, Felix. What's the matter?" Sylvain asked while maintaining his calm, still wondering what he did to warrant such a reaction from one of his longtime friends.

The moment Sylvain asked what was wrong, something truly snapped within Felix.

"What's the matter?" Felix said as he stopped trying to plow through Dimitri to get to Sylvain. Felix then took a deep sigh to prepare for something.

"WHAT'S THE MATTER?!" Felix repeated with a thunderous yell that threatened to shake the very core of his friends and Claude who was watching the commotion with morbid curiosity, taking a sip of his own experimental cocktail.

"Just don't break anything alright?" Claude called out, Dimitri and Ingrid both shot him a glare for the inappropriate comment as they held back Felix from smashing his fists on Sylvain's face.

The commotion paused when the door opened again to reveal a woman with bright pink hair, her fashioned into a long ponytail with matching pink eyes. She wore black corset that showed her cleavage, and a pink mini skirt that matches her hair color. A shoulder bag was slung on her left shoulder as circular earrings pierced both her ears.

"Oh my, I didn't think my visit to my private haven for relaxing from the stress of life would be like this."

Everyone looked at her with Claude smirking at the newly arrived pink haired woman, no doubt one of his regulars.

"Oh Hilda, you're just in time."

Hilda Valentine Goneril, the heiress of Goneril Jewelry as well as one of its best crafters, her family's business is perhaps the most widespread and well-known jewelry shop around Fodlan with Hilda's own personal creations being sought after by rich people in and out of Fodlan

"In time seeing Felix laying the smackdown on Sylvain's ass for the nth time?" Hilda scoffed before going in and letting the door to the bar close down behind her as she went to her favored seat, the farthest stool on the left. "The usual Pink Lady, Claude."

Claude set down his experimental cocktail with a golden color on the counter before moving to make Hilda's drink. The tension between the four friends ended as Felix relaxed his muscles with a groan as Ingrid and Dimitri loosened their hold on him. Felix shoved their hands away from him as he went back to his seat to drink his beer, a gesture that the other three mirrored with Sylvain being two seats away from Felix, next to Dimitri.

Felix stayed silent once more, glaring down at his drink while the other three warily watched him while drinking their beer, Sylvain being served with his own while Claude is en route to Hilda for her order.

"And one Pink Lady for the Pink Lady." Claude winked at Hilda who snickered and eyed him with a strange look.

"Oh Claude, what will my life be if your bar and yourself aren't around for me to relax?" Hilda asked while taking a sip of her cocktail drink.

Claude chuckled, placing a hand on his chin as if thinking.

"Hmm… spending more money and enduring those unnecessarily loud music in clubs and VIP lounges? Enduring the smoky atmosphere around?" Claude listed out everything that his bar wasn't, something he was proud of.

Hilda led out a tired sigh.

"That's quite a sigh. Something wrong?"

"It's a troublesome customer asking for the…" Hilda cleared her throat for a bit, the fingers on her hand touching her neck.

"I want an exquisite ring made for my beloved who I intend to court! Nothing less for she deserves only the best!" Hilda spoke in a falsetto tone mimicking a tone of what sounded like a pompous rich man with grand delusions.

Claude laughed at how Hilda mockingly mimicked the customer she was talking about.

"Then why not just you know? Reject him of your services?" Claude asked with a shrug.

Hilda led out another tired sigh. "I would have if my brother didn't say yes before directing him to me!" She exclaimed out with a frown. "When I told him that I don't want to deal with him, Holst told me that he already paid in advance and that urgh… I need another sip."

The Goneril woman took another sip of her drink as Claude went on to clean the utensils he used to make Hilda's drink.

"Why not be like me? Don't advertise this bar too much, situated at the edge of the city but I still remain afloat due to my regulars. Sometimes, you don't have to work hard to survive. Just chill and survive." Claude casually said with a carefree shrug.

Hilda managed to smile at the bartender's carefree attitude.

"Tell me, why haven't I married you yet?" She playfully asked.

"Because I like to remain carefree for a bit. I enjoy the word… freedom." Claude responded with his smirk.

"You sure know how to turn down a woman." Hilda led out another scoff of amusement.

"Must be my charming self doing all the work." Claude bantered.

"Hah! Don't flatter yourself Claudy boy, now be a dear bartender and get me some mozzarella sticks."

Claude grinned as he went to his mini-kitchen area behind his bar counter to ready her order.

"One order of mozzarella sticks with tomato salsa coming right up!"

As the two interacted, Ingrid, Dimitri and Sylvain watched the scene with Ingrid still wondering something as Felix didn't care. Such interaction between the Goneril woman and the bartender were always commonplace whenever they drink, at first glance it's like something truly is going on between them yet at the same time, it isn't.

"I still don't know if those are just fooling around or are seriously flirting." The blonde woman wondered before getting to the matter at hand. "Alright, just what is going on between you two?" She asked, glancing at both Felix and Sylvain.

"Ask him." Felix growled, looking menacingly at Sylvain. His eyes were brimming with rage and hatred to the man, he had a mind to just stand up and charge him but with Ingrid and Dimitri seated next to him, it would be a fruitless endeavor.

"Me? Even I have no idea what the heck's pissing you off!" Sylvain said with an incredulous look, still having no idea why Felix looked like he wanted to murder him.

"For the record, you always piss him off in every possible way, Sylvain." Dimitri remarked which earned him a look from Sylvain and Ingrid.

"Not helping, Dimitri." Ingrid said.

"I'm sorry." Was the only reply Dimitri had to give with an apologetic look.

Ingrid then turned her gaze towards Sylvain. "Any guess? I don't think I'll ever get any straight answer from Felix considering how unreasonably mad he is at you today."

"I have a justified reason." Felix growled but was ignored by his brother's fiancee.

Sylvain thought long and hard, thinking of every possible reason that could have ticked Felix off.

"I don't recall doing anything that pissed him off."

Ingrid sighed followed by Dimitri's own, the latter thinking Sylvain is the type to really offend someone without even meaning to with his words and antics.

"Okay, change of approach, when did you last speak to him?" Ingrid asked after removing her hand on her face.

"When did I last speak to him…" Sylvain wondered and immediately found the answer within the recesses of his mind. "Ah! When he asked for advice!"

"Advice? What advice?" Dimitri asked, getting more and more curious especially after he saw Felix flinched at the mention.

Sylvain nodded. "He was asking for advice on something and I believe it was…"

"It was?"

"It was?" Even Claude couldn't help but be curious after overhearing.

"For the Goddess' sake, will you just say it?" Ingrid sighed again.

"Advice for trying to take a girl out for… dinner." Sylvain trailed off and finally was hit by realization at the most plausible reason Felix was mad at him. "Oh Goddess…" Sylvain breathed out, looking at Felix who was beginning to shake.

All eyes went on to Felix, even Hilda who was enjoying her drink and her order of mozzarella sticks couldn't help but stare at Felix.

"Felix, did you seriously take that advice… to heart?" Sylvain asked, the way Felix shook and gripped his beer mug tightly was his answer.

By now, Ingrid, Dimitri, Claude and Hilda looked at Felix and Sylvain back and forth.

"You actually did that? I was just kidding when I told you that-"

"You asked Sylvain…" Dimitri began with a shocked look upon his face, he couldn't even finish his sentence.

"For relationship-" Claude continued as the unbelievable fact registered within his mind.

"ADVICE?! OF ALL PEOPLE?!" Ingrid exclaimed out loud with an appalled shout.

Felix cursed under his breath, he was expecting this. He was expecting such reactions from his friends the moment he went inside the bar to meet up with them but the moment the sounds and expressions of shock came out from them, Felix felt an overwhelming wave of embarrassment.

His silence spoke volumes, Ingrid couldn't help but place the palm of her right hand over her face, Dimitri was still stunned while Claude (and by extension, Hilda) were barely containing their laughter.

Felix' face was red, they didn't know if it was the alcohol or if he was blushing from the humiliating feeling of being judged by his actions of taking Sylvain's advice.

"What did you tell him, Sylvain?" Dimitri asked, finally registering what he just heard, looking at Sylvain.

It only took a minute or two for Sylvain to tell them what he jokingly advised Felix and it was more than enough to multiply the magnitude of what they were all feeling. Ingrid couldn't look anymore disappointed, Dimitri just sat on his stool and drinking beer silently as his mind tried to process everything, Claude and Hilda were already laughing and Felix was near to shattering his beer mug with his hand.

"Was it all true?" Ingrid had to ask, she had to specifically ask about that certain part.

Felix nodded before drinking all the beer in his mug and yelling at a laughing Claude to serve him another mug. An order that Claude laughingly took.

Ingrid could only groan loudly in disappointment and fear for Felix.

"Felix, how… how did she react?"

The Fraldarius man could vividly remember Annette's terrified and tearful expression when cornered her and followed Sylvain's advice on 'gently threatening' Annette to have dinner with him which ended horribly for both of them.

"She slapped me and ever since then, kept avoiding me."

"The poor girl…"

Felix flinched, Ingrid was right, he couldn't help but feel bad for Annette afterwards, her disposition further soured and only got worse when he was around, he knew that and he wanted to fix it. It was just, he is completely lost on what to do.

"Felix, you could get sued for sexual harassment for what you did to her!" Dimitri said, recovering from his shock once more and looked concerned for Felix.

"I can only imagine what the poor girl is going through." Ingrid lamented before glaring at Felix. "What in the name of the Goddess were you thinking listening to Sylvain on advice regarding that?!"

Ingrid continued. "You traumatized the poor girl-"

Felix has had enough, he didn't need the scolding at this moment, he badly needed real advice and solutions yet none of his friends were helping, they were only bringing him down and this prompted Felix to throw the glass mug that freshly served to him to the wall behind the counter, smashing it into many pieces as everyone became silent except for Claude who looked shocked.

"You're paying for that!" Claude said but Felix didn't care.

"I KNOW WHAT I DID ALRIGHT?!" Felix stood up, glaring angrily at Ingrid, Dimitri and most specifically Sylvain, who he focused his anger on. "I'm paying for what I've done and the least you idiots could do is to at least help me find a goddamn way to fix this!"

Felix sat back down on his seat. "And now, she's in the process of resigning because of what I did. She has been employed for months in our company, my father and brother like her and she did good by them and what did I do? I ruined it!" Felix ranted on, angrily clenching his fists together in a vain effort to quell the rage he felt.

Ingrid's eyes softened at her friend's dilemma, she could only bear an apologetic look.

"Felix… I'm sorry… you're right… we should be helping you."

The Fraldarius man merely growled before looking at Claude cleaning the mess he made, mopping the floor and wiping the wall clean of the beer that spilled all over when he threw his mug.

"Give me another one." Felix ordered but Claude was having none of it.

"I'll give you one when you settle this drama of yours first." Claude responded with an annoyed look, clearly not amused by Felix' actions.

Felix glared at Claude but made no further effort to respond, instead he just looked down on the counter.

"I know this is maybe a bit cliche but why not send her flowers?" Dimitri asked, looking over at Felix.

"Simple but effective, I like it." Sylvain remarked.

"Quiet Sylvain, you have no say in this." Ingrid said, shutting Sylvain down who just shrugged. "Why not just approach her and apologize? That can work."

"Too simple." Sylvain remarked again which earned him a glare from Ingrid.

"I told you, you have no say in this after this mess you help caused!" Ingrid admonished him in annoyance.

Felix merely groaned in frustration, putting his face on his hands, obviously stressed the hell out of his life over the past few days. He truly looked like a person who lost all sense of peace and purpose.

"Felix… I must ask." Dimitri noticed the deeply troubled expression of his childhood friend, Felix gave him a glance, his troubled eyes searching for an answer.

"Apologies in advance but why are you so keen on this girl? To even go out and ask advice from Sylvain and now to think of such a way to do right by her…" Felix knew what Dimitri was trying to imply and he was poised to answer when Hilda suddenly yawned loudly which took everyone's attention.

"You guys are so boooooriiiinggg in your suggestions!" Hilda commented while shaking her cocktail's glass.

Ingrid frowned at the Goneril jewelcrafter. "Excuse me but I don't think you have any business joining in this topic." She politely said but didn't bother hiding her annoyance at the pink haired woman, Ingrid even considered Hilda was already drunk.

Hilda didn't mind Ingrid's as she left her seat, bringing her drink along with her and sat herself on the empty stool to Felix' left.

"Do you want to make a huge impact? It could be risky but if this works… it could lead to a lot of possibilities." Hilda smirked at Felix, who looked desperate already.

Seeing the desperation and forlorn look in his eyes were indication that he was listening, Hilda continued as even the others became silent.

"But first, I want to ask you something because this information can boost your chances."

"What is it?"

"Well… I need to know this girl's-"

* * *

"Say Hilda, that might probably be the best idea you laid out since we've known you." Claude remarked, Hilda beamed with pride.

Felix looked determined, whatever Hilda had proposed to him as a strategy, he seemed to have put a great deal of faith in but Ingrid was worried. She couldn't help but feel worried for Felix' sake because of how desperate Felix was and she learned many times that feeling too emotional on something no matter how well planned it is could lead to some mistakes.

As a friend and her future brother-in-law, she worried over him. Felix wasn't known to them as someone who thinks things through clearly. He was the type to charge head on and devise things along the way, not the best approach as seen with his experience on this… girl that he had wronged.

As a future member of the Fraldarius family and genuinely caring for the family that she would be sharing with Glenn, if this backfired and if this girl filed legal action against him as Dimitri feared, it would be a blow to their image.

"Now that is out of the way…" Dimitri said, all eyes went on him as he stood up and grabbed Sylvain by the shoulders and gently pushed him to Felix. "You two know what to do."

"H-Hey, Dimitri? I don't think…"

Felix' hopeful expression fell and changed back to his usual scowl, the true usual scowl that he wore, not the one that was full of hate and anger he displayed earlier, something that relieved his friends at least.

Ingrid nodded in agreement, forgetting her thoughts and doubts on Hilda's proposed plan for Felix. "I agree. As we agreed during high school, whatever dispute and disagreement we four have… we must always settle it amicably. No fist fighting and no long-term grudges."

Felix stubbornly growled and tried to get back to his drink that Claude has now given to him only for Ingrid to pull him up from his seat and despite his resistance, he was pushed towards Sylvain, coming face to face with the red head.

There was silence between the two, Felix glared at Sylvain who started sweating nervously after coming face to face with his friend who badly wanted to beat him to an inch of his life earlier.

"Uh… hey Felix... " Sylvain said, scratching the back of his head.

Felix didn't say anything and kept his cold glare at him as their friends watched them, Claude and Hilda snickered.

"It's like I'm seeing two children forced to make up by their parents." Claude snickered in a hushed tone, something Hilda agreed with.

"It's kinda cute in a weird way." Hilda added. Dimitri and Ingrid shot both of them a glare before resuming in their watch for Sylvain and Felix' reconciliation.

Sylvain extended his right hand for the handshake that would bury any enmity they have for each other as per their agreement as friends, a pact between the four formed from their days in high school.

"Since we've managed to get it out of the way, let's call it quits eh, Felix?" Sylvain gave him one of his winks that tends to always annoy not just Felix but Ingrid as well.

"I'll do what I can as well to help you." Sylvain added as assurance.

_ 'We'd rather you don't.' _Ingrid, Dimitri and Felix thought.

"So… Can you forgive me?"

Felix looked down on Sylvain's right hand, he wasn't sure if he could forgive Sylvain for the damage he caused if Hilda's plan ever failed, he hesitated while raising his hand to accept the handshake. They all watched Felix' hesitance as the latter looked on to his right hand.

After a moment of contemplation, Felix sighed and leveled his hand to Sylvain's to take it, a sight which brought relief upon the faces of his friends only for Felix to clenched his left hand into a fist and punched Sylvain across the face with so much force that Sylvain toppled over to Dimitri who caught him in his fall.

"FELIX!" Ingrid exclaimed out in disapproval and anger at Felix for punching Sylvain to the face. Felix scoffed and went back to his seat and took a sip of his beer as Claude and Hilda's snicker turned to laughter at what just happened.

"Now, you're forgiven."

Felix scoffed amusingly as he drank while Sylvain is being helped up by both Ingrid and Dimitri.

* * *

**9th day of the Harpstring Moon**

Annette's recent days haven't been her best… they have been her worst ones in recent memory. Her performance at Fraldarius Corporation has hit rock bottom, she was one of the top performers at the team she is working in. She mostly finishes first without mistake and she would often help others in her free time if her workmates are having difficulty.

She was the model employee.

Now… what has she become? She's currently the worst performer in the team, often losing herself in the gloomy recesses of her thoughts. She finishes last with multiple unacceptable mistakes and it's the people who she helped at first who are helping her now with her job.

She was depressed.

A complete 180 of her situation. Annette felt bad not just for herself and self-esteem but also for Glenn and Rodrigue who both have expressed their disappointment over her performance followed by queries of worry from them, asking if she was alright to which she answers with a lie and fake smile.

A fake smile devoid of the emotions she usually feels when forming it with her lips. It felt degrading for her, she felt like… it wasn't her anymore that inhabits her body. It's someone else.

No matter, she will file her resignation letter to Rodrigue by tomorrow. She had considered the options and despite Fraldarius Corporation paying her well to support herself and her mother back in Fhirdiad, she couldn't endure the stress and her fear in working under Felix anymore. She held hope she can make do in other places, one of which is working in Gautier Tech. She felt bad leaving Rodrigue and Glenn after all they have done for her but this was a necessary step lest she drags them down with her as well.

But that's enough about her workplace for now, Annette needed to be happy today. She should at least grant herself such luxury for it was her birthday today. She left work early, having prior permission from Glenn to do so, Mercedes has prepared a small party for her to celebrate her birthday in her apartment.

She wanted to help her friend who also took a leave at work to prepare as well as pick up her mother from the station. Annette had longed to see her mother again after months of not seeing her due to her work, such a reunion would be enough as a birthday present for the Dominic girl.

Annette psyched herself up, she wouldn't let the thought of Felix and what he did to her bring her entire day down. Today was HER day! Her birthday! She should be happy! Ecstatic even!

But first things first, she was on her way to the nearby cafe she frequents in a mall near her workplace. She needed her dose of coffee, a frappe to be exact as she didn't have one earlier due to waking up late, another side effect of her depression.

She entered the cafe, Lunabucks, the world famous cafe brand with many branches spread across the world including Fodlan. Annette adored their selection of drinks and snacks there though her small excitement dwindled a bit when she saw the line of customers lining up for their orders.

Annette deeply sighed and lined up behind the last in line, near the glass display shelf where the various sweets and snacks are shown for the customers to indicate what was available. Annette already had her pick, croissants, she always felt such a connection with those particular types of bread.

For now, Annette had to wait patiently. She could opt to just go straight home but she needed her dose of caffeine with sweetness as well as some snacks to energize herself after another unproductive day and disappointment to herself.

Annette picked up her phone from her leather shoulder bag after feeling it vibrate. Unlocking the smartphone with her own code, she looked at the message she received and smiled.

** _"Picked up your mother from the station. We'll be on the way to your apartment, see you there Annie!"_ **

Annette smiled at the message she got from her best friend before placing the phone back in her bag.

"Ugh… of all the days the chocolate truffle cake is not available!" The girl before Annette complained, tapping her right foot impatiently. "Looks like I'll have to settle with cheesecake for now."

It wasn't the complaint of the girl that took Annette by surprise, she could care less about the cake since she wanted the croissants but the voice… that familiar and distinguishable voice… and the impatient demeanor.

She looked at the girl before her, she wore a black and gray off shoulder top with violet color on the top part of the sleeves, she wore the same shade of violet as a long skirt but what caught her attention was her long and silky white hair with a beret adorning the top of it.

Annette swallowed, she knew this person. There was no mistake. Her mind and her heart kept repeating the name, the name of someone she would consider one of the most significant people in her life.

"Lysithea…?"

Upon uttering the name of her former college roommate, the girl jerked up as if recognizing the voice that called her out. Slowly, the girl turned around, her pinkish red eyes contrasting Annette's blue ones.

In unison, their eyes widened and their mouths agape at the sight of each other.

"Annette?"

That was the confirmation Annette needed and it didn't take long for the two to shriek out in joy which caught the attention of the customer and staff inside Lunabucks.

Annette took the initiative and wrapped her arms around Lysithea which the latter reciprocated, both tightly hugging each other before pulling away to regard one another.

"Oh my Goddess, Lysithea! It's been so long!"

"I know! Last we saw each other was during our graduation!" Lysithea responded with equal joy and excitement as Annette.

The people within the cafe went about their business soon as the two reunited friends began to catch up while waiting in line for their orders to be taken.

"I heard from Mercedes that you work at the nearby company in the city." Lysithea remarked, recalling a bit of her conversation with Mercedes days earlier when she visited the Garreg Mach branch of Ordelia Pastries. "Fraldarius Corporation, right?"

Annette tried her hardest to keep her smile intact at the mention of the workplace that she used to love working in and now have come to a decision to leave. She didn't want her reunion with her best friend and roommate in college to be spoiled from such a thing right now.

"Yes, I'm on my way home to celebrate-" Annette couldn't finish as Lysithea remembered what today was supposed to be for Annette.

Her pinkish red eyes widened. "I nearly forgot it's your birthday!" Lysithea exclaimed, nearly letting go of her white leather shoulder bag at the realization.

Annette smiled, scratching her cheek. "Y-Yes."

"Happy Birthday then!" Lysithea told her jovially but soon her mood fell for a bit. "I'm sorry I couldn't celebrate it with you, with our reunion and all…"

The Dominic girl shook her head, assuring the heiress of Ordelian Pastries that it's nothing to be sorry for.

"It's alright, Lysithea. Meeting you again after all these months is a gift upon itself." She grinned at her former roommate, grateful at fate for granting them an opportunity to meet again after they parted ways during graduation.

Lysithea gave her a thankful smile. "I feel the same but… why haven't you contacted me after graduation?" Lysithea formed a pout, crossing her arms and tapping her right foot.

"It's like I didn't exist in your life after we parted ways! I felt like I outlived my significance in your life!" Lysithea continued as Annette nervously laughed at her.

"Umm… well… I have a reason for that." A sweat dropped from Annette's brow as she could feel the long-bottled annoyance Lysithea had towards her. Lysithea cocked an eyebrow up in question, expecting a valid reason from her friend's sudden blackout of social contact.

Annette took out her phone, a phone Lysithea couldn't recognize as she knew what model Annette's phone was during their time together.

"I lost my phone shortly after we graduated while I was on the way back to Fhirdiad to stay with my mother for the time being." Annette explained. "I couldn't remember everyone's number so I kinda did lose contact."

"And social media accounts? Fehbook? Nagagram?" Lysithea inquired, still not convinced.

"You know I don't use social media often." Annette replied with a nervous chuckle.

Lysithea managed to chuckle beneath her pout. "Right, your eyes were always glued at the books back then while listening to music."

With a sigh, Lysithea let it slide and proceeded to whip out her phone from her bag and flashed it in front of Annette to show a set of numbers.

"Here's my number." She smiled, letting go of her half-serious pout.

After the two shared their numbers once again to stay in contact, the two began to chat on things that have happened recently. Annette obviously hid the problem that was plaguing her, vowing not to mention anything pertaining to it during her birthday.

"So Mercie was right! You were in Enbarr days ago!"

Lysithea nodded. "I was there to mostly check up on the branch and how it was doing, kind of a supervising role on every major branch we have around Fodlan but I also went there to visit my cousin, Edelgard."

"Wait, you wander every branch your family has around Fodlan?!" Annette exclaimed out in shock, covering her mouth. "That must be so tiring!"

Lysithea however, beamed in pride. "Hah! Quite the contrary, I enjoy it! Besides, transportation around Fodlan has become easy after the bullet trains were implemented so travel time wasn't time consuming." She then frowned. "What's exhausting are the incompetence of other branch managers that I have to personally come and whip them to shape!"

"That must be stressful…"

"You have no idea." Lysithea replied, Annette wanted to counter her statement with her own ordeal but decided against it. She didn't want Lysithea to worry about her.

Annette wanted to ask more on what Lysithea has been up to recently besides her job but it was cut short when the cashier called for her attention, it was Lysithea's turn to order and Annette held off any question until she too was finished ordering.

"I'm sorry miss, but we really don't have the chocolate truffle cake available now." The female cashier said with a sad look as Lysithea sighed. "A customer a while ago bought the only remaining whole cake we have available."

Lysithea sighed again, Annette observed she badly craved for the cake and she could at least understand why, despite Ordelia Pastries being one of the best providers of sweets in Fodlan, Lunabucks' chocolate truffle cake was still something they couldn't beat among all of the cafe's other sweets. Lysithea was still trying to decipher what made the cake so much better than what her family's shop can ever make in terms of chocolate cakes.

"I'll just get two slices of your cheesecake and two orders of your large Brigid Mocha Frappe." Lysithea decided and pulled out her wallet, giving the amount needed to pay for her order as Annette was left wondering.

"Two orders of each? I can understand the cake but the drinks? Coffee on top of that? You were more of a tea person as far as I could remember." Annette remarked, Lysithea flinched at the mention of her order, something that didn't get past Annette.

As her order is being processed, Lysithea looks down with a blush, looking at the ordering counter and unable to look at Annette.

"I am meeting with a… friend." Lysithea shyly said, her whole demeanor and body language changing and Annette could tell why.

She knew her friend was a terrible liar to begin with, Lysithea may have been the smartest student in Garreg Mach University but she was one of the worst liars that ever set foot in it. Annette could remember the last time Lysithea made a lie, it was during that time when a certain professor…

"Friend… huh? Do I know this friend?" Annette found herself having the urge to tease her former roommate, her habit of occasionally teasing Lysithea of something that would fluster her, returning.

She was met only by a hesitant and blushing face from Lysithea, indicating that her meeting with a friend is not just a hanging out… it seemed like a date. In all their time together, Annette could only think of one boy who Lysithea had spent time with during their days in the university, she remembered Lysithea tutoring him.

"Lysithea, could you be seeing-"

Then right on cue to save Lysithea, Annette's phone rang, interrupting their conversation just as it was Annette's turn to order as the cashier and Lysithea looked on as Annette answered the call, sighing as she saw the caller.

"Hello? Mr. Fraldarius? Yes… I'm still around the area… No, not really… Yes, I can make time if only for an hour… I see… I see… Oh no! Please don't apologise! I know how important this matter is for the company… I'll be on my way there soon."

Annette turned off the call, letting out a tired sigh as Lysithea looked to her with worry.

"Everything alright?" Lysithea asked her friend with a concerned frown.

"Urgent meeting in The Azure Moon with my bosses, they had some major concerns on something." Annette said with a tired voice as if her energy was sucked out by the prospect of having to think of work again just when she was about to enjoy her remaining time for the day.

Lysithea's concerned frown turned to one of disapproval.

"Honestly, you shouldn't even go! You were cleared to leave as you told me!" Lysithea expressed her disapproval with her reunion with Annette being cut short.

Annette merely gave Lysithea a sad smile. "Well, you know me." she joked.

Lysithea scoffed, she indeed knew her very well. Annette was too much of a hard-worker. A workaholic by definition. Not like she could talk as she knew she was like Annette in that regard.

"Yes, I know you. We have each other's numbers anyway so we can schedule a get together soon." Lysithea said with hope, looking forward to meeting Annette once more as the latter waved her farewells to Annette, apologizing for the time wasted on the cashier and to the next customer behind her as she ran to leave the cafe.

On her way out, she bumped into someone, a man wearing a black jacket, dark grey shirt and pants, Annette didn't take a look at the man's face and just uttered a quick apology as she ran to meet with Glenn at the restaurant he was in. The man she bumped into simply watched her leave, shifting his black framed glasses back to shape on his azure blue eyes, scratching the back of his head that was covered with teal green hair.

The man looked on as if recognizing Annette from somewhere before he shook his head and went inside the Lunabucks cafe.

* * *

Annette soon arrived at The Azure Moon restaurant, a high end fine dining restaurant part of a bistro group that consists of other high end restaurants of varying types. Annette didn't have any opportunity to dine with one of those restaurants yet, not like she could because of how pricey they are for her budget.

Nonetheless upon going to the front desk after entering the building, she was welcomed by the staff behind the table.

"H-Hello…" Annette said, catching her breath after she ran her way towards the restaurant in order to avoid wasting time. "I…. I… I'm looking for Mr. Fraldarius… he's expecting me?"

The staff blinked before checking on the list.

"Are you perhaps, Ms. Annette Fantine Dominic?" She asked her politely and with such professionalism.

Annette nodded, expecting the question and promptly handed her ID to the staff.

The staff briefly verified the ID before nodding in affirmation, giving Annette's ID back and gesturing to Annette to follow her.

"Right this way please."

As Annette followed the staff who led her to where Glenn and presumably Rodrigue is, she looked around at the high class restaurant that she had set foot in. Everything from the chandeliers, to the furniture, to the tableware, to the food that was being served and eaten by the establishment's diners. Annette couldn't imagine splurging her money in such a place, she exaggeratingly thought that her salary for the month would be gone if she ate her once. Annette couldn't waste her money over a luxury, she had important matters to spend her salary on.

After Annette followed front desk staff towards the second floor of The Azure Moon, she was led to the farthest area of the second floor which overlooked the central plaza of Garreg Mach. There was no one in sight on the table the staff led her to, who said her farewells to return to the front desk.

But what puzzled Annette the most is the table setting, there were only two chairs and there were no signs of Glenn or Rodrigue nor their briefcase or a bag that would probably contain a laptop or documents about something they urgently needed her assistance for.

Annette was so fixated on her thoughts that she didn't notice that person she was about to meet had arrived.

Though, it wasn't exactly the Mr. Fraldarius she was expecting.

"You're finally here."

Annette froze, her eyes glued on the empty plate and silverware on the table as a man with a familiar voice spoke to her. She knew she was meeting with one of the people she calls Mr. Fraldarius but she didn't expect THIS particular one to show up.

Her anxiety getting over her again, she mustered her courage to look up to see Felix looking at her but instead of the cold look ever present on his copper eyes, there was only… remorse in his eyes and shaking lips.

Fear began to take a hold of her entire being once more, she began to shake which wasn't unnoticed by Felix.

"W-W-Wha- W-Where's M-Mr. F-Fraldarius?" Annette stuttered uncontrollably.

Felix sighed, closing his eyes as if preparing himself for something he hasn't done in his life.

"He's not here nor will my father." Felix responded, trying to keep calm despite being alarmed by the distressed look on Annette.

Annette didn't say anything and just sat on her chair, unable to look Felix in the eye and just stared at the table once again, a table that was meant for the two of them. There were so many thoughts running across her mind but one that stood out was that Glenn lied to her and it seemed like he set this up between her and Felix, she couldn't help but feel something against Glenn.

"Ms. Dominic… I want to thank you first for coming here-"

"Please." Annette interrupted him, composing herself as she looked up to Felix with a mix of a frightened and angered look.

"Please don't pretend something didn't happen days ago." She told him as gently as she could but there was no mistaking she held something against him in her voice.

Felix sighed _ 'So much for being polite.' _He thought as he was beginning to regret ever considering Hilda's advice which is what he is currently doing now. But he knew he had to try, Hilda's advice seemed better than anything Sylvain would ever give out anyway.

Steeling himself once again, Felix nodded.

"Ms. Dominic, I know why you have been feeling that way recently." Felix began, Annette didn't respond nor move, she just kept tugging on the hem of her skirt, wrinkling it as Felix went on.

"And I am responsible for why your performance has taken a turn for the worse."

Annette remained quiet but there was no mistake the inner turmoil she was feeling as the memories of how Felix harassed her came rushing down, memories she doesn't want to remember yet on her birthday of all days. She held back the tears, she didn't want to let the tears flow, she didn't want to show her tear-stained face to her mother and Mercedes later on, she had to keep herself together.

"You kept getting scolded by Glenn and my father for it yet I couldn't even tell them that I was the reason-"

"Is this why you tricked me into coming here? Because you were more concerned about my performance?" Annette suddenly spat, glaring at his eyes. Feeling incensed at the thought that Felix was merely concerned of her job, not what she was feeling.

"You even asked Mr. Fraldarius to lie to me."

Felix was taken aback by her words, he couldn't deny what Annette had just said. He had employed Glenn's help despite their previous altercation about her, he was forced to tell Glenn everything that had transpired and much to his surprise, Glenn was quite supportive of his plan but not before he scolded him for his rashness and stupidity, something Felix permitted because he knew he deserved such words.

"No, this is not what it's all about." Felix shook his head and looked at Annette's eyes who was still glaring at him but barely maintaining it, she was beginning to feel more sad than angry.

"Then why? Why lie just to get me here? What do you even want from me?" Annette questioned, she just wanted to leave Felix behind and try to salvage her birthday yet she found herself glued on her chair, she wanted to hear what her supervisor had to say before she leaves.

Felix clenched his fists beneath the table, it was now or never for him, this was his only chance to make it right.

"Ms. Dominic, I want to apologize to you for what I've done."

Annette simply huffed a puff of air from her nostrils, crossing her arms on her chest and looked away from him and towards the large window she could see the setting sun and the central plaza of the city, Felix could see the tears that threatened to fall from her eyes.

"I cannot go back and undo what I have done to you. Truth to be told, I didn't know how to properly ask someone outside of my friends and family, out with me. I wanted to know more about you but I didn't know how to approach you or anyone for that matter because all my life, people approached me and not the other way around." Felix began but Annette still refused to look at him.

"So I asked a friend of mine, a stupid mistake in my part. He had experience inviting people out and that's why I saw fit to ask him how to approach you." Felix added, he felt a shred of hope when Annette glanced at him with her eye.

"But I'm not putting the blame on him for this!" Felix quickly said, not wanting to give Annette a chance to point out that he was merely shifting the blame for his own misdeeds due to someone because in the end, he still decided to do it.

"I will not deny that I am still the fool who listened to his stupid and absurb advice. That much I will admit. I won't wash my hands on this, I have to take this responsibility and clean it up myself."

By now, Annette was looking at him, her eyes softening but still retaining a wary gaze at him, she didn't want to come off as easy and so allowed Felix to continue.

"I won't ask you to forgive me right away." Felix continued, placing his hands on the edges of the table and prostrated himself in front of Annette while sitting down on his chair, he bowed his head and body down, almost hitting his plate when he did so.

Annette was surprised by this action, she always thought that the Fraldarius men: Rodrigue, Glenn and Felix were all proud men, how they carried their pride varied but they never were the type to actually do such things that Felix is doing now. She felt almost touched on Felix' gesture.

"All I ask is a chance again. You don't have to forgive me now but a chance to prove myself is more than enough. It would mean a lot to me."

Annette covered her mouth with her hands after witnessing the sincerity of Felix' words and actions, she just regarded him for a moment as he prostrated himself before her.

"M-Mr. Fraldarius… I… you shouldn't do that t-to m-me… It's…"

"I want to hear what you would say, Annette." Felix called her by her first name for this first time. "Not what Ms. Dominic, the employee would say." He said, still not looking at her.

Annette regarded him again, her doubts of the sincerity of his apology dwindling every passing second. She was still apprehensive of what may come yet…

"Please, raise your head."

Felix looked up to see Annette flustered by his actions, he didn't know if she felt touched by his actions or was embarrassed by him, nonetheless he was relieved her glare was all but gone though her wary gaze remained.

"I-If you want to truly make up for what happened then at least give me the respect I deserve next time..." Annette laid out her 'terms', she wanted to make it clear to Felix that if she'll ever give him a chance, he should at least honor the basic terms she would give him.

"I may be working under your family's company but I'm still a human being, I can't just be treated like t-that…" Annette didn't want to say it out directly but Felix understood her point.

Felix closed his eyes, reminding himself of what he did to her again. He nodded with guilt on his face.

"I know, and it was not my intention to make you feel lesser than that. I'm sorry." Felix apologized once more. "I'll do anything in my power to make it right-"

Annette interrupted him by flailing her hands forward. "No, please. I don't need such grand gestures Mr. Fraldarius... I just need reassurance and time..." She said, feeling embarrassed for Felix' sake on what he's doing.

Felix blinked before he found himself chuckling, something that Annette took offense with, thinking he was chuckling at himself for being victorious in getting her to accept his apology until Felix explained himself upon seeing the indignant look on Annette's face.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't help myself…" Felix said, composing himself. "I guess ordering dinner for us is considered a grand gesture...?"

Before Annette could say anything, they were approached by three waiters, each carrying platters covered with a cloche except for the third one. The first two waiters served Felix and Annette their own platters, placing it above their respective empty plates.

They then removed the metallic cloche away to flood Annette's nose with the mouth watering and delectable aroma of perfectly grilled steak with an all so attractive grilled lines adorning the salt and pepper crusted top, it was served with a side of mashed potatoes with hints of cheese on it as well as green string beans that smelled of butter as well as sticks of carrots.

Annette's mouth watered at the food she was served with but what took her attention was what the third waiter placed in between their platter of steak.

It was a slice of strawberry shortcake that looked like it was made with extreme precision, looking so well in place and looking so flawlessly appetizing, on top of the shortcake near the strawberry was a single lighted candle.

"You've been craving for these when we first met so I thought it was appropriate." Felix smiled as Annette looked on in shock at the cake and the steak.

Before Annette could say anything on the matter, Felix spoke once more.

"Happy Birthday, Ms. Dominic."

Annette gasped and looked at Felix, shocked.

"H-How did y-you know?"

Felix scoffed softly. "I had to view your file in the HR department and…"

"And?"

"I had to ask your friend, Mercedes for help."

Annette's eyes widened. "M-Mercie? You roped her into this?"

Felix nodded, not sure if Annette appreciated him involving Mercedes on this matter but nonetheless, what's done is done.

"She was angry at me, believe me and I took an earful from her. It took a while to convince her… but in the end she agreed. She gave me some advice and how you want your steak cooked and made…"

Annette couldn't help but feel more flustered on how far Felix thought of this and how he was willing to truly make up for what he did, she was still feeling reserved towards him but any form of fear she once held was gone. For the first time since their meeting, she felt… warm towards Felix and she couldn't pinpoint why.

"Don't worry, she's aware you might be delayed for a short moment." Felix reassured her, having been aware of how Annette planned to spend her birthday thanks to Mercedes, who despite all odds, accepted his request for aid.

"Now, let's not waste time anymore and eat." Felix invited as he took his fork and steak knife.

Annette was still in shock at what she was being treated, she slowly took her own fork and steak knife. She then cut a small slice of the steak, cutting it easily due to how tender the meat is and the sharpness of the knife, it felt like she was cutting through butter with a hot knife, the pinkish meat within didn't help as her mouth watered.

Unable to resist the delectable meal before her, she took a bite of the meat.

Suffice to say, she nearly screamed from what she just tasted. As for Felix, the face Annette made as she ate her food was a reward upon itself.

* * *

After the two ate in relative silence with Annette mostly commenting on how good the meal was, she kept repeating how it was the best piece of meat she has ever eaten and the cake… she couldn't help but squeal at how good it was. In her excitement and joy in eating the slice of cake, she asked Felix if he wanted to share much to Felix' surprise and quick rejection, citing his dislike for sweets.

Upon finishing their meal, Annette wanted to excuse herself to go home only for Felix to offer her a ride home with his car. Annette hesitated for a bit, thinking it would be too much for one of her bosses to drive her home but Felix insisted, he told her to consider it as part of his apology for making an abrupt change in her plans for her birthday.

"We're here." Felix announced as he stopped his light blue painted SUV on a big apartment building protected by stone walls and a steel gate on the urban area of Garreg Mach.

Felix and Annette exited the car. The former just stood, placing his hands on his pocket as Annette checked if she hadn't forgotten anything in Felix' car.

"It's almost 7pm, I do hope I didn't keep you away from your friend." Felix said, his eyes scanning the modest apartment building, trying to pinpoint where Annette resides.

Annette shook her head. "If Mercie agreed to it, she'll understand. I can't say the same for my mother though…"

Felix raised an eyebrow. "Your mother?"

"Yes, she came from Fhirdiad. Mercie picked her up earlier." Annette affirmed, looking up at the second floor, it was obvious in Felix' eyes that she was ecstatic to see her mother again. Something that filled him with the feeling of envy.

"Mr. Fraldarius? Is something wrong?" Annette asked when she saw the look on Felix' face.

Felix snapped out of whatever he was thinking or feeling. "Nothing… I just remembered something." He reasoned but Annette felt there was something off.

"So…"

"Umm…"

"I think I took a lot of your time already. I'll go then." Felix said, giving Annette a nod. "Happy Birthday once more, Ms. Dominic. Enjoy your time."

With those words, Felix went on to open the door to the driver's seat of his car as Annette watched on. Annette felt like she had to say something, that at least she had to say…

"Umm… Mr. Fraldarius!" She called out.

Felix was already getting in when she called him, he looked at her with questioning eyes.

"Yes?"

"Umm… Thank you again for the meal and…" Annette looked at the ground, collecting herself. "And please have a safe trip home… F-Felix!" Annette then opened the steel gate leading into the apartment building and went to the stairwell, running up as she rushed inside her apartment space.

As for Felix, he was frozen on his spot, watching Annette get inside her apartment space. It took a while for things to properly register in his mind.

What did she just call him? He didn't want to think much about it, she might have called him by his first name to prevent any confusion on addressing him, Glenn and Rodrigue yet… she did so in her OWN VOLITION instead of being ordered by him to do so, something Glenn would always tell Annette when he and Rodrigue are in one space.

As everything registered, Felix couldn't help but chuckle at the development that has happened between them since they were at The Azure Moon. For the first time in days, Felix felt… light… happy even… and all could be attributed to-

"Happy Birthday, Annette." Felix breathed out as his right hand laid on top of his chest, he wished Annette was still in front of him when he said that, wanting to pay her back for calling him by his name.

With a soft scoff, Felix entered his car and drove off in high spirits just as Annette also felt as she celebrated the rest of the night with Mercedes and being reunited with her mother.

* * *

**I must admit, it took me a while to finish this due to the recent events in my life. Work has been busy ever since I returned from my trip in Japan then this coronavirus made things worse and I hope everyone who is reading this is okay! Keep safe and always be cautious going out!**

**I hoped the reconciliation part wasn't rushed or anything. I didn't want to prolong the drama any further as this story is meant to be more lighthearted than any I have written, dragging it out seems like a wrong move if I did so. Also, if you're reading this... I made a nod/reference to you, Kroissant!**

**Now, I must return to updating Last Scion regularly. **

**Reviews are very much appreciated! Thank you!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

**Unexpected Visitor(s)**

* * *

**This one is a much MUCH shorter update than the previous one.**

**I kinda got carried away with the character and world building last time that I wrote too much.**

* * *

**Harpstring Moon**

Annette hummed as she walked the halls leading to the offices, she had a good night hanging out with Lysithea after work yesterday with both former roommates catching up on what has occured in their lives after their graduation. Lysithea insists she visits Annette's apartment instead to have more privacy despite the latter's reservation on entertaining her friend in her sparsely decorated apartment space.

Annette shuddered when she recalled Lysithea's reaction when Annette told her that her apartment is not a place a high-class girl like her would love being in, getting an earful from Lysithea that she could care less what her friends' social status or living conditions are, pressing further that she is not like the other pompous spoiled brats out there still sucking in more money from their parents.

"_You should know better! We've been roommates for almost five years in a small dormitory space! I'm not some picky fool!"_

Were Lysithea's resounding words before closing the topic and Annette agreed to her insistence.

Nonetheless, Lysithea was still mostly the same girl as she had been since their university days yet Annette could feel a more dignified vibe from her friend and she became more patient, even if it was only a small amount.

"Hmm… perhaps the proper term is tolerant. Lysithea is everything but patient after all." Annette giggled to herself as she caught sight of the office space of her direct superior.

Judging from the darkness behind the slightly open window blinds, he was nowhere to be seen and Annette felt like this has been her routine everyday since she and Felix had come to terms with what happened between them.

Two weeks have passed after Annette's birthday and so far so good, Felix has been good on his word of treating her with the proper respect she wanted and to be honest, everything felt… warm.

Despite the coldness of the office, Annette felt strangely warm as she worked there in conjunction with Felix. Any feelings of anxiety have all but disappeared, there were still doubts but she was overall comfortable in the new work atmosphere… Besides, Felix has been good to her by having snacks and beverages readily available in their mini-fridge in the office, even placing in some of her favorites such as Albinean Berry Soda and the Golden Sponge, a particularly popular sponge cake snack with sweet cream inside that Annette loves to snack on although Lysithea finds it disgusting.

Annette couldn't help but feel blessed that Felix stocked up on them despite his disdain for anything sweet. The question from him suddenly popped up in the middle of nowhere just as the two were silently minding their own thought Felix was merely making smalltalk after he was unnerved with the cold silence of the office but much to her shock the next day, he had a mini-fridge delivered into his office and stocked it up with her favorites as well as Felix' own preferred beverages.

The (recently-returned) bubbly girl took out the office door keys that Felix had entrusted to her and opened the door to the dark office she works on, switching on the lights, she was met by the familiar working environment.

Placing her documents and bag on her big table far across Felix' table near the windows overlooking the city, Annette turned on the air conditioner with the remote hidden in one of her table's drawers.

"Ah… another day, another bottle of Albinean Berry Soda!" Annette cheerfully hummed, going for the mini-fridge, opening it and treating herself to a bottle of her favorite soda to jumpstart her day. If coffee is to be mostly everyone's preferred drink in the morning, Annette prefers the sweet and sour taste of her favorite soda to wire her brain to work mode.

After taking a few sips, she closed the bottle of soda, placing it on her desk before going for the shelves, continuing the documents she'll be working on for the day right as she hummed one of her favorite songs from the Hey Arnaults.

"I used to think maybe you loved me now baby I'm sure

And I just can't wait till the day when you knock on my door

Now every time I go for the mailbox, gotta hold myself down

'Cause I just can't wait 'til you write me you're coming around…"

Annette chanted as she accompanied her movements with some dancing, feeling free to do so due to the absence of almost everyone in the offices as well as Felix. While work is her primary focus, who says she couldn't have her own brand of fun without really getting distracted?

"I'm walking on sunshine… whoah oh!"

"Ugh, not too loud early in the morning-"

"I'm walking on sunshine…. whoAAAAAAHHH!" Annette's cheerful singing turned to a horrified scream when she realized that her boss, Felix was sleeping on his chair, his hair messy from his sleeping position and his eyes tired, turning his chair around to face Annette.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!" Annette shouted out, still in shock as her blue eyes regarded Felix' exhausted form.

Felix groaned, touching his temples as if in pain. "I had too much drinking with some idiots last night-aghh..." Felix groaned again when he tried to recall his time with Dimitri and Sylvain last night.. "And I wasn't sober enough to drive back home."

"Please don't tell me you didn't see the dance?" Annette nervously asked, Felix lifted his eyes up to meet hers just as he was supposed to take a drink from a half-empty bottle of water.

"Saw it on the window reflection." Felix nonchalantly replied before emptying the bottle of its contents in one gulp, releasing a satisfied sigh while unaware that Annette was seething with great amounts of mortification.

"Can you at least forget what you saw?" Annette asked as if pleading.

Felix chuckled and rose up from his seat, still groaning in pain.

"You're more concerned for that rather than- ughh…" Felix fell down on the floor as he tried to stand up from his seat, causing Annette to go by his side and support him, making him sit down on the floor as she placed a hand on one of his shoulders.

"Oh my Goddess, are you alright?"

"Obviously?" Felix sarcastically responded much to Annette's chagrin.

"Can you please lose the attitude right now?" Annette said, withdrawing her hand from Felix, her concern replaced with irritation.

Before Felix could respond, he gagged and quickly took the nearby trash bin on the side of his table before finally throwing up in it. Coughing and convulsing as he does as Annette looked on with extreme concern at the state of her boss.

"H-Hang on, I'm going to call for help-"

"N-No…" Felix coughed, weakly looking at Annette, the latter noticing the heavy bags under his eyes. "Just get me some… medicine for a hangover from the clinic." Felix ordered but Annette seemed adamant to get him somewhere just to be sure.

"But-"

"Just… do it, Ms. Dominic." Felix replied a bit more sharply than he ever let on, taking Annette aback who sadly looked at him before nodding in agreement albeit being a forced one.

"Yes, Mr. Fraldarius." Annette reluctantly said before leaving to do as Felix asked her to do.

* * *

Annette was thankful the clinic was one of the few departments in the company that was open early in the morning albeit only having one of the nurses, it was enough since the medications that Felix had asked for were available.

Thanking the nurse for his assistance in providing the necessary medications, Annette hurried to leave the clinic to return to Felix' office, wanting to make sure her boss gets well as soon as possible.

Yet her mind wondered, why was he drunk in the first place last night? Was he a drunkard or… she could only think from the stories she has heard and from what she saw from television that people who get themselves drunk often do so to forget something bad that happened to them hence the term "drown your sorrows.".

"He's got you fetching something for hangovers now, huh?"

Annette gasped and looked behind her to see Glenn leaning his back on the wall beside the clinic door, frowning with his arms crossed over his chest.

"M-Mr. Fraldarius! I-"

"No need. This isn't the first time this happened." Glenn shook his head, wanting to hear no excuse coming from Annette on any possible defense for his younger brother.

"Only this time, he's got someone to get it for him instead of dragging himself to the clinic." Glenn continued voicing his disapproval.

Annette looked down on the floor, gripping the small pill container. "Mr. Fraldarius, this happened before?"

Glenn nodded. "Even before you and him worked here, he would often go to my office, ordering the night guards to open it for him and sleep there when he had more drink than he could handle."

"I-I see." Annette sighed, that sealed the deal, Felix was a drunkard after all…

"He normally controls his alcohol but whenever he and our old man gets into a fight, he would often just go to his favored bar with Sylvain and just drink himself to death." Glenn sighed deeply. "Honestly, I'm worried about him."

"Mr. Fraldarius and him… fighting?" Annette repeated, despite her impression of Felix' personality, she never thought he'd have his own issues against someone like Rodrigue, she always thought that the man was considerate and well-meaning all these years…

Glenn eyed her with a solemn look, prompting Annette to get nervous for overstepping her bounds into asking all about her bosses' private life.

"Felix and the old man generally have a decent relationship but whenever the old man touches on specific subjects, Felix would just lose it." Glenn explained before shaking his head, finding no reason to continue discussing such a subject to Annette.

"Apologies for burdening with such a topic, just bring those meds to him and tell him to groom himself. He has a visitor coming today." Glenn ordered before departing to his own office, leaving the matter towards the capable young woman. Annette could only watch with uncertainty and ponder on the fragments of information she had gotten from her former direct superior.

She wondered… What could be the reason why Felix and Rodrigue would have a heated argument about?

* * *

After providing Felix the necessary medications he asked for, Annette did the initiative to bring him something to eat as well as do some housekeeping by cleaning up after Felix, she was disgusted on the smell and what she had to clean up but she felt it was unnecessary to call in the housekeeping department and let them find out that one of the heirs of the company got himself overly drunk last night.

All while Felix rested on his office couch as the medicine was taking its effect, groaning from the headache.

Excusing herself to go to the department that was working on the presentation for the upcoming Fodlan Tech Expo in the coming month, Annette left Felix to recover on his couch.

After doing her part as well as discussing further alterations on the plan, Annette departed to return to working in Felix' office after hours had passed.

She had been concerned about the current status of her boss especially in regards to Glenn's mention earlier that he has a visitor to meet and by the tone of his voice, it seemed like an important one. Annette didn't want her boss to embarrass himself and by extension, the company by exhibiting post-drunk behaviors so she hastened her return.

"Mr. Fraldarius, I'm back… Are you alri-" Annette opened the door as she returned to Felix' office only to interrupt a meeting between her boss who seems to have recovered but his hair was now loose and a rather handsome blonde man with blue eyes and loose unkempt hair, Felix looked at her with his usual scowl or was he annoyed she interrupted them in the middle of the meeting? While the blonde man looked at her with some interest.

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt." Annette apologized but the blonde man simply shook his head as he stood up from the couch opposite Felix'.

"You must be Felix' secretary, a pleasure to meet you." The blonde man greeted her with a bow. "I am Dimitri, an old friend of Felix."

Annette looked frozen, marveling at Dimitri's appearance as if she was starstruck, it was like looking at a popular action star celebrity she saw in one of the movies she watched with Mercedes, she just kept on staring at Dimitri who nervously looked at Felix who was frowning.

"Ms. Dominic!" Felix called out in irritation of his secretary gawking at his friend. "Don't be rude and introduce yourself."

Annette snapped out of her startled gaze towards Dimitri and apologetically bowed.

"S-Sorry for the rudeness! I-I am Annette Fantine Dominic! I work for Mr. Fraldarius…"

Dimitri looked surprised upon hearing her name and afterwards his face briefly darkened as if remembering something horrible.

"Annette Fantine Dominic, you say?" Dimitri repeated as Felix and Annette looked at him with inquiring looks.

Dimitri shook his head. "Apologies, I thought I have heard of the name before but I am mistaken." Dimitri said with a chuckle, resuming the polite smile he wore earlier as Felix cocked an eyebrow up while Annette looked dreamily at him. She couldn't help but look at him as such, out of all the boys she met throughout her life, Dimitri seemed like the charming classical prince she's seen in shows and read about in books…

Dimitri then gave Felix a small nod. "I must depart now, Felix."

"I see… Glenn and the old man will appreciate what you did in the settlement of that particular case against Cornelia."

Dimitri shook his head. "Think nothing of it, Felix. Glad to help and also, you should thank Edelgard as well… she helped me with some of the details on it."

Felix scoffed. "As if I could see her, it's been months since I've seen her last outside of the news."

The blonde man looked a little troubled from what Felix said regarding Edelgard before covering it up with a half-smile.

"Farewell." He said before giving a nod to Annette as well before he left, Annette and Felix' eyes trailing the blonde man before he closed the door behind him getting out of the office.

"Ms. Dominic." Felix called out for his secretary.

"He's so polite and seems gentle…"

Annette stared at the door, still having her mind on the blonde man that is her boss' friend.

"Ms. Dominic…"

"How lucky the girl must be if she is in a relationship with him…" Annette wondered.

"Ms. Dominic…." Felix coughed loudly.

"Ah, what am I thinking… I shouldn't even dare to think about that! T-There's no way I have a chance!" Annette thought out loud.

"MS. DOMINIC!" Felix yelled, making Annette jump up and yelp from surprise.

Annette turned around to face a very irritated Felix who is now sitting on his office chair behind his desk, a look of annoyance and… something else seems to be prevalent in his expression.

"Yes, Mr. Fraldarius?" Annette asked, composing herself before remembering something. "Are you okay now?"

Felix tied his hair back up into a short ponytail. "Yes, evidently. You were far too busy gawking at my friend to notice."

"I-I wasn't gawking!" Annette protested, suddenly becoming defensive in her tone, words and body language.

"You'll have a better time convincing a dog with that excuse, Ms. Dominic." Felix sardonically replied and began looking at the documents Dimitri left for him.

Annette puffed her cheeks in annoyance at her boss.

"I'm telling you I'm not!"

"The fact that you're still defending yourself over it means you are guilty of it." Felix responded sharply which further proved to incense his secretary more.

"Ugh, Mr. Fraldarius-"

"Also, I'm doing you a favor telling you this… Dimitri's married, so any feeling of infatuation you have for him, you can forget it." Felix further pressed, glaring at Annette who looked taken aback.

Annette's mouth was agape from Felix' words but also his tone, he seemed much more annoyed than usual as if… he was feeling something more than just his usual irritation… Why was he so hard-pressed to shut down any thoughts regarding Dimitri?

Feeling there's something else but not risking to get her boss angry, Annette decided to move to business and present Felix some progress reports for the upcoming Fodlan Tech Expo that Fraldarius Tech will be hosting in the coming month.

"While most of the food to be served in the event has been handled, we still don't have word on what to serve our guests with desserts during the banquet-"

"I have that handled, I will be meeting with someone tomorrow to address that." Felix interrupted, glancing at Annette before looking back into the documents Dimitri gave him.

Annette nodded. "And that concludes my report, is there anything else?"

Felix passed the documents he received from Dimitri to Annette.

"Ms. Dominic, you are aware of the fraudulent case we have filed against a certain Cornelia who embezzled funds."

Annette nodded affirmatively. "I am aware, she used to be Mr. Fraldarius, your father's accountant until she was caught by your brother taking kickbacks from under the table deals she made with some people."

Felix slightly smirked at Annette's attentiveness on such matters.

"Pass that to my brother, everything he needs to know is on those documents. He'll understand."

Annette bowed to Felix before heading towards the door out of the office.

"After giving that to Glenn, you can go home." Felix said what is probably his last words for Annette for the day.

The Dominic girl turned around and gave Felix a smile of thanks before leaving the office she shares with her boss, leaving Felix all by his lonesome in his office.

With a sigh, Felix turned on the television mounted on the wall at the left side of his office, watching a few channels before tuning in on the news channel to see Fodlan News Channel and it's news anchor, Shamir Nevrand relaying updates on one of Fodlan's hottest topics in recent memory.

"_This is Fodlan News Channel. I am Shamir Nevrand and here is the latest news , Prosecutor Edelgard von Hresvelg says in a short interview that her motives for prosecuting Archbishop Rhea of the Church of Seiros is not a ploy to garner public approval for the upcoming elections... she has this to say..."_

"_While I am aware that such a thing can look as such, I have to affirm my intentions to the public and say that I have been gathering the necessary evidence and testimonies for years regarding this case. Only time and the court will tell if all of those efforts will bear fruit. That is all."_

"_Mrs. Hresvelg! Is it true that your marriage to Dimi—"_

Felix tiredly sighed and switched the TV off, having no interest in the recent scandal the Church of Seiros had gotten themselves into, it has left Fodlan's population divided in their opinions regarding the cases made against the millenium old religious institution, some are adamant on their innocence while the others are either unsure or convinced of their guilt on the particular cases made against it and it's Archbishop.

"Same stories, same shit." Felix murmured to himself, he heard his phone vibrate and checked it to see a message from Dimitri.

**"_Are you alone right now?"_**

**"_Yes. Why?"_**

**"_I need to talk to you. May I call?"_**

**"_Go ahead."_**

The phone rang immediately right after Felix replied, the latter answered it just as it rang.

"What is it, boar? You were just here a few moments ago." Felix grumbled, looking out at the glass panels of his office with the view of the city.

"You had Dedue look into… I didn't tell you to do that- wait… are you sure?"

Felix breathed out a long sigh before groaning in irritation.

"Did you really think that was necessary to research about? Huh, you were curious? Stop sticking your nose to everyone's business you boar! I don't care if it's your job! There's a limit on where you could stick your nose in!"

Felix huffed and ended the call, scratching the back of his head, evidently vexed at what Dimitri discussed with him with such a brief phone call. It may be brief but it sure made an impact on him in whatever Dimitri had told him that was so urgent.

"Ms. Dominic… you are full of surprises… For better or for worse." Felix muttered as he looked out of the glass window to see Annette walking out of the building and waiting at the bus stop.

* * *

Annette arrived home to her humble abode she calls her apartment space. Closing and locking the door behind her, Annette removed her leather shoes near the door before going in to turn on the lights, being greeted by the sight of her combined living room-kitchen-dining room with two doors leading to her bathroom and toilet and to her bedroom.

It's quite the average home for a single young woman living in Garreg Mach City and while Annette's job could afford her a much better space, Annette elected not to do so. She was comfortable with her current space and even if she does get a better space, she couldn't enjoy much of it due to her being constantly at work and even if she goes out from work, she would often be with Mercedes to hang out.

Annette looked at the wall clock hanging above the small television she has. She was able to go home an hour earlier thanks to Felix, for what reason he dismissed her earlier, she doesn't know but she figured it may have something to do with the case against Cornelia, that he might discuss matters with his brother and father regarding the latest update about the case they are pursuing against their former employee that they used to trust.

Up until now, Annette couldn't figure out why people would have the nerve to scam the Fraldarius family. In her experience with them, especially Glenn and Rodrigue, they have been nothing but considerate and compassionate to the people working for them.

Annette's phone rang, indicating a message had been sent to her. Annette took out her phone from her purse, lightly throwing her bag on her couch before slumping on one of her sofa chairs to check the message.

**"_Annette, dear. I received the money you sent but isn't this a bit too much? I understand you are trying to send extra for my sake but please don't forget to take care of yourself in turn."_**

The Dominic girl smiled at her mother's message before replying.

**"**_**Mother, I only spare enough for me to get by for a month. Don't worry, I have every expense considered as well as leaving some spare money for various things… just please focus on getting better and stop fretting too much about me. I love you.**"_

Annette sighed and put her phone down on her lap as she let the soft sofa chair relieve her body, looking up at the ceiling while resting her feet on the table between her chairs and couch.

Then the phone rang again but only this time, it's ringtone was meant for incoming calls.

Picking up her phone again and thinking it was her mother in Fhirdiad, Annette looked at it only to see a different name on the screen.

"Hello? Mercie?" Annette answered the call.

"_Oh Annie! Can you drop by at my workplace after you get out of work?"_

Annette raised an eyebrow. "I can't Mercie, Mr. Fraldarius dismissed me early… why?"

"_Oh… I just want to share something with you because you won't believe me who went to the pastry shop today."_

"Who?"

"_It's Dorothea from the Hey Arnaults! She came in to buy some pastries but not before I asked if I could get her autograph."_

Annette's eyes widened. "Dorothea went there… talked to you… and gave you an autograph?!" She squealed out.

"_I know you always wanted to have her sign something so I had her sign one of my aprons with a personal message for you. I can't wait to show it to you, you'll love it!"_

"Just hearing about it makes me happy as it is!" Annette excitedly said after hearing her best friend's experience with their favorite singer in Fodlan as well as the prospect of receiving something with Dorothea's signature and message for her.

"_I'll drop by later at your apartment, Emile will be picking me up after work."_

"Ooooh thank you Mercie! I swear I don't deserve you most of the time!"

"_Heeheehee! You know that's not true- oh, Lysithea's calling out to me… I'll see you later!"_

With that, Mercedes dropped the call, leaving Annette ecstatic in meeting her later though Annette couldn't help but feel jealous, long as she wanted to meet Dorothea in person and talk to her but it seemed such a fleeting dream to have.

With nothing much to do but just rest and relax, Annette decided to take a bath to pass time and soothe her body.

* * *

Annette yawned as she wore her employee ID around her neck, having stayed up late hanging out with Mercedes last night before Emile came to pick her up once again after dropping her off. The two best friends would often hang out by cooking together and watching their favorite shows on TV with some news in the mix.

The signed apron that Mercedes brought for Annette immediately skyrocketed the latter's mood as she squealed at the prospect of finally owning something that has her favorite singer's signature, the personal message Dorothea gave to her didn't help curb her excitement.

"_Write your own lyrics and perform with all your heart! Life is a song so sing it!"_

Annette repeated the message Dorothea had for her with a smile as she went inside the elevator, being the only occupant as the elevator made its way up the floors.

The Dominic girl accused Mercedes of telling the singer what to write which Mercedes poorly denied, while Dorothea's message for her was inspiring… Annette couldn't help but feel sad at its meaning and Mercedes' intention on having it written.

Being with her ever since they were children in Fhirdiad… Mercedes has always been supportive of her and her singing, and while Annette appreciates Mercedes' continual support… Annette just couldn't help but think of the dream she used to have as nothing more than an impossible one considering the situation of her life now.

"_But Annie… you've always wanted to be a singer... "_

"_I know Mercie… I know for myself I still want to pursue that path but I can't! Not with the current situation my mother has right now."_

"_Annie…"_

"_I can't just drop off everything and selfishly pursue my dream when someone in this world only has me to count on to. If I must sacrifice my own dreams for the sake of my mother's well-being then-"_

Annette and Mercedes dropped the subject last night in favor of talking about various topics and just watching their favorite shows together. Mercedes understood her best friend's feelings on the matter, fully understanding her situation yet she still couldn't help but feel that there might only be regret for Annette if she continued a path of continual self-sacrifice.

Annette walked through the halls leading to Felix' office, she had thought of what could possibly be the thing that Rodrigue and Felix argued about the other night and if she would experience the aftermath of seeing Felix suffering from the effects of drinking.

She sighed, she was thinking too much about the personal problems of her bosses, she has no business meddling into their family affairs. She once remembered Lysithea telling her off during their days as college students that she was "too nice for your own good." kind of person, Annette simply replied she just doesn't want to see people she had grown to care about having issues…

Care… Had she grown to truly care for the Fraldarius family? Rodrigue? Glenn? And even Felix…? Had she finally thought of them as more than just her employers…?

She couldn't tell yet, especially with the youngest of the Fraldarius men. Her relationship with Felix has been rather… rocky at the start but ever since he apologized during her birthday, things have been going on smoothly, their relationship turning into a proper professional one.

Annette found herself blushing on what caused the huge rift between the two of them that almost led to Annette resigning. She shook her head, not wanting to think of the implications behind it anymore. She's just willing to be in a professional relationship with her boss, nothing less… nothing more.

Besides, despite their repaired relationship…

"He can be a jerk sometimes unlike his brother." Annette murmured to herself as she tried to unlock the door to Felix' office only to find out it's unlocked, Annette wondered if Felix was already in his office until she heard muffled shouts.

Filled with concern, Annette opened the door to Felix' office only to witness the unthinkable.

"Just try a bite. Come on. Open up!" Lysithea urged as she pressed on further, her right hand holding a fork with a piece of cake on it, her left hand on one of Felix' shoulders.

"No! I already told you, I don't want it!" Felix refused, tilting his head on all sides to avoid the piece of cake in being shoved into his mouth as Lysithea pouted.

"I can't believe that after all these years, you're still so dispassionate about the magnificence of cake!" Lysithea exclaimed as she tried to force him to taste the cake, unaware of the third person in the room.

As Felix turned to his other side, his eyes widened to see Annette standing still at the opened door with a horrified look.

"M-Ms. Dominic…!" Felix called out in shock.

Lysithea looked at where Felix' eyes were directed to see her friend and former roommate.

Annette on the other hand was busy deciphering what she just witnessed… Lysithea was almost sitting on Felix' lap, her left hand on his right shoulder, she was trying to feed him cake while Felix' back was pressed against his couch. The sight caused an impression of something of questionable vulgar nature in Annette's mind.

Thinking she arrived at an ill opportuned time, Annette left the office and slammed the door shut.

"I'M SORRY! I DIDN'T MEANT TO INTERRUPT!"

Felix realized the position he and Lysithea were in, blushing and pushing Lysithea away from him, he followed after Annette.

"Ms. Dominic! Wait! It's not what it looks like!"

* * *

"S-Sorry for that…" Annette apologized and sighed tiredly, drinking a glass of water as she sat beside Lysithea on one of the couches with Felix on the couch at the opposite side of the table.

"I should be sorry as well, I tried to surprise you by coming in the office before you but well…" Lysithea nervously chuckled.

"How did you two know each other anyway?" Annette questioned her friend, frowning at her for what she saw.

Lysithea raised an eyebrow and before she could answer…

"Lysithea and I have known each other since we were children. We met by chance when my family and I visited Ordelia Pastries' grand opening in Arianrhod.." Felix said, glancing at Lysithea.

"And ever since then, his family has been frequent customers of Ordelia Pastries." Lysithea said with a proud smile. "It's just tragic Felix doesn't share the same affinity his family has for our sweets."

Felix frowned at Lysithea. "Despite being armed with that knowledge, you still insist on trying to make me eat one of those deplorable sweets you call cake that your pastry shops make."

It was Lysithea's turn to frown at Felix, looking like Felix offended her with the worst insult possible.

"Cake is not a "sweet." Cake is the divine essence of the heavens!" Lysithea argued back, something Annette has heard of many times during her college days with Lysithea.

"I told you everyone has their own tastes!"

"That's true, but life without cake is no life at all. Your divisiveness regarding cake is inexcusable! Inconceivable!" Lysithea responded with such passion that Felix sighed, unable to dissuade the Ordelia girl of her pathetic attempts to make him eat sweets.

Placing a hand on his forehead, Felix could only growl irritably.

"I'm not sure why you're so fixated on this…"

"Simple! Ordelia Pastries is aimed to spread the joys of sweets all over Fodlan and that includes people who dares blaspheme on hating sweets!" Lysithea proclaimed with pride before pointing accusingly at Felix. "And you, Felix, is the greatest challenge I have right now!"

Annette looked back and forth at the two seemingly childhood friends, her thoughts were still thinking about the rather awkward position she stumbled upon the two when she entered the office, she could feel like something stung in her heart yet she doesn't know why…

"You are the most impossible girl I have ever met." Felix sighed in exasperation.

Annette bit her lip, wanting to steer the topic to a question she has for Lysithea. Why does she feel something whenever she sees Lysithea and Felix being so… casual in their interactions?

"Lysithea, what are you even doing here anyway? Did you just come here to visit me?" She questioned her.

The snow haired girl shifted her gaze towards her.

"Well that's one reason… the moment I found out you were working here all along, it just seemed like we live in a small world so I came by to visit…"

"And the other reason is…?"

Lysithea smiled at her. "Well, the main reason why I'm here is because I'll be discussing with Felix about the Fodlan Tech Expo. Fraldarius Corporation is going to hire Ordelia Pastries to make the desserts for the banquet."

* * *

**And that wraps it up for this chapter, I originally intended to write the scene of Annette and Mercedes in better detail but I couldn't conceive of an idea on how to write it. Nonetheless, I believe I manage to leave the intended hints in this chapter that will prove to be of use in later chapters.**

**Now, I must return to updating Last Scion regularly while writing a collab smut fic with a friend and fellow writer XD**

**Reviews are very much appreciated! Thank you!**


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